


Explosion imminent

by Marvelouswrites



Category: Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Canon Divergent, Emotional Sex, F/M, Fluff, I'm Bad At Summaries, Oral Sex, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Post-Canon, Rough Sex, Spanking, Spoilers, Vaginal Fingering, the devil ending
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:41:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 47,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28181823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marvelouswrites/pseuds/Marvelouswrites
Summary: Instead of splitting up after Search and Destroy, Takemura and V hunker down in her apartment, learn a lot about each other, and things take off from there.**contains spoilers**A Russian translation is available here https://ficbook.net/readfic/10228980Thanks to Archive User MariMo!!***on temporary hiatus***
Relationships: Goro Takemura/Female V
Comments: 88
Kudos: 684





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't intend for this to be more than just some self-indulgent smut, but this pairing lives rent free in my mind so I'm going to keep going until my brain dies.

"GORO GET ON THE FUCKING BIKE"

V was yelling at him, anger and fear twisting her face. She gestured furiously with her empty hand while keeping her pistol aimed at the door. One booted foot rested on the kickstand of the motorcycle, the other planted firmly on the cracked pavement. She was not going to leave without him. 

"Kuso!!" The swear half bitten off as he grimaced, Goro Takemura spun on his heel and ran for V and the bike. She stuffed her pistol into its holster and swung her leg over the bike just before he slid onto the seat behind her. He nearly pushed her off with his momentum. She swore and the longest millisecond of his life passed as V pushed back against him to stay in the seat. The bike kicked to life and they peeled out, V yelling over her shoulder,

"Grab on! Lean with me, and take this!" She reached under her arm to pull her pistol free from its holster and held it out. Goro grabbed her waist and took the gun, squinting against the wind.

"Hang on!" 

They tore down the street, lights and signs blurring to harsh smears of color as the wind whipped in his ears. A strand of hair had loosed itself from his topknot and was lashing against his face; ignoring it, Goro looked around as much as he could without shifting his balance. He was listening hard for the noise of Arasaka drones. It was a very distinct sound, one he could infallibly pick up even without his sensory enhancement implants. He concentrated, finger on the trigger, ignoring the jarring bumps as V drove the bike along the cracked street. 

He heard no drones. But this was no time to relax. Goro reflexively tightened his arm around V's waist as they went over a particularly large bump.

"Don't squeeze so fucking hard! I'm trying to concentrate!" V snapped, her somehow still perfectly manicured hands gripping the bike's handles hard enough to turn her knuckles white. He didn't loosen his grip; her ocular implants were burning bright, he could almost see the data scrolling along the curve of her cornea.

"What are you doing!? You need to be driving!" He yelled in her ear. 

"I'm fixing the cameras!" She shouted back, grimacing with the effort of focusing on three things at once.

"Gotta loop the footage so they can't follow through the 'net!" 

Not for the first or even the millionth time that day, Goro cursed his lack of working implants. If he hadn't had to shut them down, he would have been able to do something. Do something other than cling to the back of the woman who'd just saved his life.

Somehow, they managed to avoid picking up a tail. They drove for a long time, doubling back and taking side roads as much as possible. Once, Goro had heard what he thought was the buzzing of drones in the distance and they had hid under an abandoned highway, watching with bated breath for the tell tale flashing of lights through the cracks in the cement above them. Forty-five minutes of this, forty-five minutes of huddling close; panicked breathing and darting eyes. 

They crept out only when V had done a through scan of the local network and declared it "as Arasaka free as usual." 

It was only then, when the adrenaline and fear had dulled a little did he remember to ask where they were going.

"My place, it's nowhere in Arasaka's ledgers and I've got chooms nearby - it's as good a safe house as we're gonna get." V replied, shifting on the seat of the bike to turn. Goro leaned with her, something that seemed as easy as breathing,

"We should have split up! It is safer that way!" He replied sharply. V shot him a look over her shoulder and shook her head.

"Too risky - what if they'd caught you?" 

"At least you would have gotten away! Now, if we are caught, we are both done for!" He snapped back, gesturing with the gun. 

"Then we won't get caught!" V's expression was smugly confident, but he could see it for the facade it was and did not return the expression.

"Why did you come back?" He asked in a more level tone. They had slowed down, driving on a shockingly empty bit of side street.

"...I couldn't let you go."

"What?" He hadn't heard clearly, the whipping wind still ringing in his ears.

"I said I couldn't just let you die! What kind of asshole would I be, huh? If I let that happen!" She said. 

"An alive asshole!" Goro barked back, but there was no bite to his words. V turned the bike into an underground parking lot, her optical implants flashing once again as she looped the cameras to hide their entrance. She parked the bike behind a shipping container and pushed it down into a pile of trash.

"Looks like we're both gonna be alive assholes." She muttered with grim satisfaction as the bike disappeared into the refuse. The motorcycle was one of V's most beloved possessions, a gift from the mother of her dead best friend. He watched as the sleek gold and red body was buried away, gun held loosely at his side. His finger hovered over the trigger guard, ready to be fired in an instant. V straightened up and wiped her hands together, brushing them along the tops of her thighs to remove any lingering dirt.

"C'mon, I've got a semi - permanent hook into the 'net of the complex; we'll leave no trace." She said as she moved to the elevator. Goro followed not two steps behind, angling the weapon so he could still hold it ready but under his coat. No need to be too obvious. Thankfully, no one was on the elevator and they got in with haste, V jacking into the control panel before pressing the up button.

"Elevator scans your key, gotta spoof it." She explained as she tucked her personal link back into her wrist.

"We are lucky then, that you are such an accomplished thief." Goro said, a hint of a smile pulling at his tight expression. V smiled back, and he was sure this one was more genuine. The thief jokes were probably old by this point, but it felt appropriate. They rode the elevator in near silence, the sound of the news filling in any gaps where words might have been exchanged.

"Breaking news - Hanako Arasaka was successfully rescued from her captors in a daring sting by Arasaka agents - the kidnappers are still at large." 

Goro grimaced and turned away from the bright screen; he had no idea if they had succeeded or failed, and now they were running for their lives. Not that he hadn't been doing that before, but at that point he had a plan; a purpose. A goal to strive for other than living until the next day. He gritted his teeth. Had she believed them? V had been blunt, honest, and even apologized to Hanako-sama before beginning. It had seemed promising until the Arasaka agents had found them.

"Just keep cool in the hallway, no need to draw attention." V said. 

"I understand." 

She shifted her weight next to him, accidentally bumping her elbow against his as the elevator slowed to a stop. She strolled out into the hall like nothing was amiss and Goro did his best to emulate her casual walk. His shoulders were tight, hunched near his ears and he forced them down. A man in a ball cap nodded to V and she gave a lazy wave before unlocking the door to her apartment. Goro forced an expression akin to friendly onto his face as the man walked past before following V into her apartment. 

The place was a mess.   
Clothes were strewn all over the floor of the one bedroom, empty bottles sat in clusters on the small table set in the middle of the low couch and what looked like a broken surfboard was lying haphazardly against a wall. The television was on, the volume low as a blue haired man gestured excitedly to a pair of cybernetic arms. Goro's eyes traveled along the dirty, half open window before settling on a crate full of records. 

"You live like this?" Goro asked with a hint of disgust.

"Hey don't judge me! Haven't had a lotta time to clean lately." V replied, but he could hear a pang of embarrassment in her tone. She cleared her throat and moved to her computer, sitting down with one leg crossed under her on the threadbare chair; Goro caught a flash of dozens of unread messages before she opened a program he didn't recognize.

"What are you doing?" He asked, stepping over an empty box to stand at her shoulder. V glanced up at him, the implants in her eyes glowing red as she jacked into the console.

"Squaring away a few things - we've got a very short window to get essentials before we gotta lock down totally."

"We should not take the risk - whatever you have will have to do." Goro replied, shaking his head. He still held the gun. The grip - although unfamiliar - was comforting in his hand. V pursed her full lips, tapping a finger against the screen.

"Yeah see, problem with that is I haven't been here in days - got no food, and landlord's been bitchin' about the rent." 

"You haven't even paid rent?"

"Like I said, been busy! Helping you, remember? And about a billion other things." 

Goro grunted in acknowledgement. He didn't really know what V got up to when she wasn't with him, and he hadn't really wished to know. Goro had done his best to avoid criminal activity while he'd been in hiding, but it was impossible to truly avoid it if he wanted to stay under the radar. He had fled Arasaka with nothing but the clothes on his back. He had stolen, cheated and lied; all things he had thought he'd left in the past, in Chiba-11 all those years ago. His own activities he could excuse - he was working to prove the murder of Saburo Arasaka, a man he had greatly admired. But what V did? He didn't like to think about. Not only because he did not wish to be associated with a mercenary, but also because he did not want to associate it with her.

It was a complicated situation - Goro genuinely liked V. He enjoyed her company greatly. She was funny, surprisingly kind, and there was a wealth of something warm and genuine behind her eyes that always pulled him in deep. Their conversation on the roof-top came back to him often, the intimacy of it; completely alone and sitting close enough that their toes had touched, baring bits of their souls to each other under the waning sun.  
Goro shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

There was chemistry there, he felt it, knew she felt it too. A spark of something just on the cusp of bursting to flame. He had more than once wondered what might have happened if they had met while she still worked for Arasaka, before she had become a two-bit thief and his life had spiralled wildly out of control. 

"Oookay - should be good. Got somebody dropping off groceries to the floor above and rent's post marked to last week." V let out a long sigh and tugged her personal link free. She leaned back in the chair and dragged her hands down her face, pressing her lips together in a tight frown. V went quiet then, twining her fingers together and staring at the computer screen, her shoulders hunched and expression drawn. Goro moved away from the computer to the window and peered through the half-opened blinds, looking for any signs of Arasaka agents. He could see dozens of people moving around outside, going about their days, chatting and arguing or hailing cabs. As far as his currently limited senses could tell, there was nothing amiss. 

Which did not make him feel better.

"Do you have weapons, any defenses?" He asked, trying to gauge if the window was reinforced by running his fingers along the edges. Not that it would do much even if it was. Arasaka had access to the best of everything, some slummy apartment window would do nothing to stop them. 

"Yeah, see that glass panel? By the shelves? Open it up - I'm gonna clean." V said, standing abruptly and knocking the chair back against the wall. Goro winced at the noise and V gave a little shrug.

"Walls're soundproofed; part of the reason I picked this place." She said as she bent to start stuffing trash into the empty box he had stepped over earlier.

"One of it's only boons, I am sure." He replied, moving a discarded jacket out of his way with his foot before walking across the small room to the glass panel. V muttered something under her breath but didn't deny what he'd said. The black shelves ran from floor to ceiling on one side of the room, and Goro eyed their contents as he approached. A pair of boxing gloves, several books with French titles and more empty cans. 

"You read French?" He asked, examining the smoked glass wall in front of him. He tapped a finger against it, thinking it might open to touch. 

"I'm fluent - mom made sure, here." There was a beep and the door slid open. Inside was a veritable arsenal of weapons. Guns of all makes and models lined the walls, set in professionally made foam cut-outs; several knives and even a katana were set in neat rows on the table in front of him, and stacks and stacks of ammo cases sat against the far wall. 

"At least we will not run out of bullets."  
Goro muttered, eyeing the collection with admiration. This is clearly where V's money and time went. 

"Your mother - she was not from Night City?" He asked, setting the pistol on the table and picking up the katana. The blade was razor sharp; perfectly maintained. He held it at arm's length before swinging it experimentally. A fine blade. 

"Yeah nah, she was from Lyon - moved here after she met my dad." V replied from the other side of the room. He could hear her shuffling around, picking up clothes from the floor. She walked over and began to hang them up in the small closet near the door.

"Like what you see?" V asked, and he could hear the pride in her voice. Goro glanced up from the shotgun he was examining and met her gaze. She was standing in the doorway, one hip cocked and her arms crossed over her chest. 

"Very much." He paused, letting the answer be interpreted however she liked then held up the shotgun.

"We will not go down without a fight." A short one, maybe, but a fight nonetheless. V's lips quirked into a smile.

"Glad to hear it." She said, and he was positive the ambiguous nature of his answer was not lost on her. While this was really not the time for flirtation, the words came naturally and Goro did not regret them.

"I gotta get the supplies, help yourself to whatever you want in the meantime." V gestured to her collection with a smile before turning back to the apartment's main room. Goro returned to his examination of the weapons and picked up several, testing their weight in his hands and peering down the sights. These would do well. Eventually he selected the shotgun and an assault rifle, carefully adjusting them to his preferences and finding the correct ammo boxes for each. The pistol he tucked back into his belt along with a sturdy knife before dragging it all out into the main room. He glanced around for V, and was surprised to find that she was gone. 

She hadn't left had she? That would be beyond foolish - they needed to maintain the illusion that the apartment was empty. Suddenly there was a heavy thump and a swear from above him, and Goro instantly aimed the rifle at the ceiling before realising an Arasaka agent wouldn't say shit if they hit their head during an infiltration.

"Help me with this!" V's voice echoed from the bathroom, and Goro looked over to see a large bag dangling from the ceiling between the beaded curtain hiding the toilet and the shower head. He put the rifle down and stepped over, taking the bag in both hands.

"Apartment's are connected between the bathrooms, easier to fix plumbing that way." V's breathless voice explained from the dark hole in the ceiling. 

"Clever."

She appeared out of the gloom, her short black hair - usually so neat - was in disarray as she clambered down from the hatch, dropping the last foot or two to the floor. Goro held his hand out to help her up and she took it, sighing heavily as she straightened up. The touch was casual, natural, and it shot an electric spark through him.

"Okay, okay, bring that over here and we'll take stock of what we got." V gave a smile of thanks before approaching the fridge and opening it; the door squeaked horribly and she wrinkled her nose.

"Glad I only had beer in here; wouldn't wanna deal with spoiled food right now." She muttered. 

"I am also glad, please tell me you purchased real food - I am sick to death of sawdust and plastic." Goro said as he set the bag on the small counter of the kitchen area. He pulled the bag open and rooted around inside, apprehensive about what he might find. To his relief, the item he held in his hand when he pulled it free was a frozen pack of fish fillets - real salmon, the packaging cheerfully declared. V held out her hand for the fish and he handed it over.

"Only real food here my friend; it may shock you to find out, but I have rather discerning tastes." She said, shoving the six-pack of beer aside to make room for the rest of the groceries. Goro scoffed as he pulled out more food - eggs, fresh fish, rice, vegetables, fruit; real greenery and even beef. 

"Truly? Because I remember you ate that pathetic excuse for yakitori with great joy." He replied, handing her each item in turn. This amount of fresh food must have cost a fortune; most in Night City made do with synth meat and undergrown vegetables from the corporate farms east of the city. He'd found this out when he'd badgered the grocer local to his hideout, disgusted with the pale offerings available. 

"I enjoy junk food every now and again, nothing wrong with that." V said, stacking groceries in the fridge. At the bottom of the bag were shelf-stable items, things that would stay good for weeks. He grimaced at the freeze-dried noodles and dry soup packets, hoping it wouldn't come down to that. 

"In this city? Junk food will kill you as surely as a bullet." He said, holding out the last of the food supplies. V chuckled as she took them and put them away, closing the cabinet with a click. 

"Not as fast though, I like to take my time." She said, grinning at him over her shoulder. He shook his head in response, a smile on his face but a hint of apprehension in the back of his mind.

Dying.  
V was dying.   
He had almost forgotten - so many things had happened and she usually acted like nothing was wrong. The same thought seemed to have crossed her mind and she cleared her throat as if to clear the sudden tension from the room.

"There's only one bed, but I figured we'd take turns on watch anyway." She said, turning to gesture to the large bed tucked into an alcove in the wall.

"Yes, that would be most prudent." He replied, eyeing the space critically.

"There is very little cover." Goro said. It was true, the single room was large but fairly open, the only places to duck behind being the counter he was leaning on, the alcove of the bed and the wall of the shower.

"Yeah. It'll have to be enough." V said firmly. She pulled another pistol from her belt and checked that it was loaded. 

Night came quickly, darkness creeping through the slats of the shutters into the room, crossing the threadbare carpet to lick at his shoes. Goro sat on the couch, assault rifle balanced on his knees and a cup of tea on the table in front of him. He blinked, pushing away the tiredness that was threatening to overtake him and reached for the cup. Taking a bracing sip of the hot liquid, Goro took stock of the situation. Things had been quiet for the rest of the day, V had spent most of the time after finishing the initial preparations cleaning either the apartment or her pistol while Goro had paced a path from the window to the door, listening at each for any sign that they had been found out. To his utter shock, nothing had come. No drones, no agents, nothing.  
The lack of action had done nothing but wind him tighter and make him more worried. Surely they had not escaped entirely. 

V shifted in her sleep, rolling over and the sound made Goro glance over to the bed. She was curled on top of the sheets, her hands clenched into fists next to the pistol she’d set there before practically passing out. Goro didn’t blame her, after the day they’d had. She had insisted on taking the first watch, but he’d flat out told her no. He had expected an argument but she’d lain down with no further prompting. Staring at her like this, again he wondered what might have happened between them if they’d met under different circumstances. Would he be lying in bed next to her, exhausted for different reasons? The answer was an easy yes, obvious in the looks they’d shared and the mostly unspoken attraction between them. Goro pressed his lips into a frown and let a sigh escape his nose, before looking back to the door, taking another sip of tea before setting the cup back on the table and settling back into the couch, rifle gripped in his hands.


	2. Chapter 2

The first three days passed in politeness and tension. V’s bombastic facade was put to rest in the tight space; whether it was to save his nerves or due to her own Goro didn’t know, but he was grateful. Her “tough merc with a chip on her shoulder” attitude might work wonders when dealing with the mercenaries and fixers of Night City, but here, in this small room that was getting smaller every day, it would do her no favours. She’d been quieter, still with the same humour and warmth he’d grown accustomed to, but subdued. The tension between them seemed to ebb and flow at random; one moment they’d be sitting on the couch, chatting, elbows or knees nearly touching and then in the next he’d be on the other side of the room, unable to say anything lest words for another time slipped out.  
Three days of waiting, watching, and quiet panicking.

They had spoken at length about a new plan, where to go next, what to do if Hanako-sama believed them, what to do if she didn’t. Goro hoped beyond hope that she did, that they hadn’t been found because she was pulling the strings to keep them that way, even as Yorinobu spouted harsh words of revenge on the news. That was the only thing that made sense; there was no way V’s slapdash netrunning had truly hidden them from the most powerful corporation in the world.

Three days of sitting and pacing, three days of sweating.  
He really needed a shower.  
Bathing seemed a luxury; and the idea of being caught by Arasaka with his pants nowhere even near his ankles was not a pleasant one. If he was going to die in a hail of gunfire, he would be fully clothed.

But it was getting to a point where he no longer wanted to be on the same side of the room as V, in case he really did smell as bad as he thought. His clothes needed washed as well; he’d seen the washer and dryer tucked under the kitchen counter. It was during one of the high points of tension that Goro glanced over to where V was perched on her computer chair, trawling through reams of data as she searched for any sign that they’d been spotted.

“V?” 

“Mhm? What’s up?” She said over her shoulder, rubbing at her cheek.

“I would like to use your shower.” Goro said, gesturing to the open bathroom next to her.

“Oh yeah, sure, sure go ahead.” She said, standing abruptly and sending the chair spinning into the table beside her. Goro didn’t even flinch, used to the rough way V treated the chair by now: like it had insulted her mother. She stretched, wincing as her back popped before walking to the shelves in the wall, pulling out a towel. Goro stood from the couch, taking the assault rifle that seemed to be his new best friend with him and came to stand on the other side of the counter, near the bathroom. V slapped the towel onto the chipped plastic between them and gestured to the washing machine. 

“I’ll throw your clothes in too - might make the water kind of cold but better than being dirty.”

“Ah, thank you, I...would appreciate that.” Goro said, picking up the towel. It was surprisingly plush, the white fabric soft between his fingers. They stood there for a few seconds, stiff and unsure. V was looking at him out of the corner of her eye, but glanced away as soon as he met her gaze. Goro coughed and gestured with his elbow to the yawning cavern of the open bathroom.

“Does your bathroom have a door?” He finally said, and V seemed to spring to life, hurrying past him to the beige wall.

“Oh yeah, jesus sorry. It gets stuck, gotta-” she took a second to find the right spot and then slammed her fist into the wall. A door suddenly shot out and with a wheeze, slid closed.

“-whack it just right to get it to close. I don’t usually bother.” she said apologetically. Goro just nodded and said nothing; feeling like his chest was being squeezed.

"Ya gotta hit it in the same spot on the other side, to get it open." She continued, seeming to need to talk and fill the thick silence.

"Shampoo and stuff's in there, help yourself." 

"Thank you."

"Yeah of course, I'll uh, I'll go over there." V said and walked quickly to the bed, climbing onto the mattress and disappearing into the alcove. Goro let out a long quiet breath and then turned to the bathroom. The door wheezed open again and he stepped inside, taking a second to just breathe before slapping the wall and closing the door behind him. He set the towel on the toilet as there was no other place for it and then got undressed. He moved stiffly, joints aching from days of barely moving and neatly folded his clothes, slapping the wall once again to open the door. He pushed the bundle of clothes and his shoes out with one foot before hitting the wall again and closing the door. 

He stood for a long moment in the silence, feeling the cold air from the vent above him brush against his skin, the sensation of being bare and vulnerable foremost in his mind. Goro glanced down at his cybernetics, currently useless lumps of metal grafted to his body. The silver tracings on his arms and legs were bright under the bathroom light, the occasional flash of red or an Arasaka logo plain to the eye. His modifications were extensive, but mostly hidden, other than the obvious mods in his neck and hands his body was unmistakably human. Easier to blend in that way, to remain unobtrusive and less of a threat. Until he needed to be.   
Goro turned and fiddled with the shower controls until the water sputtered out of the nozzle, a slow stream that spat for a moment before turning on fully. He couldn't help but sigh heavily as the water hit his face, blessedly hot and refreshing. 

He took his time even though he knew he shouldn't, letting the hot water work on the knots in his shoulders and back. The shampoo and conditioner were a brand he recognized; expensive stuff. V clearly valued luxury in little ways, and as he squeezed some of the violet gel into his hand a vision of her in the shower slid into his mind. He didn't chase it away, letting the mental picture form clearly as he washed his hair.

Her bare skin wet and glistening under the shower light, flushed from the heat of the water. 

Goro let out another sigh and finished washing, rinsing thoroughly under the rapidly cooling water. He dried himself off with the towel and then wrapped it around his waist, staring at himself in the mirror. The grey in his hair was less obvious when it was down, the black strands brushing against the tops of his shoulders. He reached up and ran his fingers through it, loosening the tangles that had formed and then rubbed his hand over his close cropped beard. He needed to shave, the regrowth was beginning to itch and he didn't like the look; the grey hairs in his beard and moustache glittered in the light and he wondered when he'd gotten so old. Not that forty-seven was ancient, but it only seemed like yesterday when his beard was black and his brow unlined. 

The unmistakable sound of the washing machine running outside the door shook him out of his reverie and it suddenly occurred to him that he had nothing else to wear. This was unfortunate. Waiting in the shower for his clothes to be dry would be unbearable; the relaxing effect of the hot water was already beginning to ebb, and he still needed to be prepared. 

Not to mention, that vision of V in the shower was still fresh in his mind. He stared at himself in the mirror, thinking of the tension between them; it felt like a pile of gunpowder was lying underneath a table with a lit match on top. Just one bump was all that was needed to drop the match and set the room ablaze.

Goro turned away from the mirror and made sure the towel was tightly wrapped around his waist before slapping the wall to open the door. 

"Do you have any other clothes I could wear?" He asked.

V was sitting on the couch, idly staring at the television when he spoke. She glanced up and then blinked, swallowed, blinked again. Goro let himself revel in the effect his nearly naked body had on her; he watched her look him over, watched her eyes slide from his body to his face, saw the unguarded desire in them before she caught herself.

"Yeah - uh, yeah, Jackie left some stuff here, hang on." V stood, the motion clumsy and slow, her eyes unabashedly glued to him for a second longer before she broke and turned away to rummage through a drawer under the bed.

Match, dropped. 

V straightened and cleared her throat before turning around and tossing him a shirt and a pair of pants, seemingly unable to get any closer. Goro caught the clothes in one hand, the other holding the towel around his waist, fingers curled to where her eyes had already refocused. 

"You have my thanks." Goro said before returning to the shower. The steam had mostly abated and the mirror clearly reflected his self satisfied smile as he dressed in the borrowed clothes.


	3. Chapter 3

Another two days and no Arasaka attack, not a peep. It was starting to feel like things might work out in their favour, that maybe, somehow, they had actually escaped. The news was still broadcasting Yorinobu's threats but less frequently, other, more pressing stories pushing to the forefront. Things were at an impasse, no word from Hanako-sama, no attack either.   
They had kept up their routine every night, one watching the door, gun in hand, while the other slept, and the lit match had started to burn into the gunpowder. Goro was unable to keep his eyes off V more and more and he knew she was doing the exact same thing. The explosion was imminent, only he had no idea when it would happen. 

"You spoke of your mother before, is she still in Night City?" Goro asked over dinner - a simple but delicious meal of fish and rice he had made on V's woefully sad single burner stove.

"Hm? Oh, no, she died a while back." V said after a moment, taking another bite of rice. 

"Ah, my condolences. Were you close to her?" Goro asked, carefully picking a bone from the fish fillet on his plate. V sighed and sat back on the couch, looking up at the ceiling.

"Well, sort of. We had a...complicated relationship." She said after a long moment.

"Hm, family is often the most difficult thing in one's life." Goro mused, pushing rice into shape so he could grab it with his chopsticks.

"She was...well, she was something, that's for sure. Everything her petite porcolette did was never good enough, but by God if anyone else said a word otherwise, she'd give 'em hell." V said ruefully. Goro raised an eyebrow and set down his chopsticks.

"Her what?" His translator no longer worked, shut down with the rest of his implants, but he recognized the French accent on the words. V leaned forwards and shook her head, grabbing her drink. She took a swig before leaning back and throwing one arm over the back of the couch, turning to face him more fully.

"Her little piglet," she gestured to herself with the glass, a bitter half smile on her face.

"Me." 

Goro turned on the couch so they were face to face.

"An unflattering nickname." He said and V laughed.

"Yeah, well, you shoulda heard what else she called me...what about you; you mentioned your grandma before, she raise you?" She asked, gesturing to him with her glass. Goro smiled and sat back on the couch, rubbing his palms together.

"Yes, my parents died when I was very young - she took me in." He said.

"She was very good to me, I was lucky to have her. When I received my first paycheck from the army I moved her out of Chiba-11, to a nice apartment where she could sit in the sun in peace." Goro was silent for a moment as he remembered the wooden chair she would sit in on the balcony, bird song echoing all around.

"She did a good job with you, and sounds like you did her right." V remarked. Goro glanced at her and saw the soft smile on her face and he returned it.

"She would have appreciated hearing that - I gave her many grey hairs growing up." He said.

V laughed and took another drink, the corners of her eyes crinkling.

"What, you, cause trouble? Unimaginable." She said, a laugh catching at the end of her sentence. Goro shrugged.

"I have not always been as well behaved and rational as I am now." He replied with a sardonic grin. V leaned forward on the couch, resting her elbows on her knees and pointing at him, swirling the ice in her glass.

"Yeah, 'cause jumping onto a moving float in the middle of a parade and kidnapping your boss's daughter is the epitome of rational." She said, grinning at him. Goro sniffed and smoothed the front of his shirt.

"We will see, if it worked, then I would say that it was." 

They fell into companionable silence after that, finishing their meals and cleaning up without further conversation. Goro stood by the window, peering out between the slats of the shutters to the city beyond. It was as busy as ever, lights and people moving around, life continuing on.

"Hey, I think we've earned this." 

Goro glanced over to see what V was referring to and saw two bottles in her hands, one held out to him.

"Beer? I do not think alcohol is the wisest -" he started, but V cut him off with a shake of her head.

"It's one bottle. I think we're grown up enough to handle that." She said and as if to prove it, took a sip of her own. Goro watched her full lips curve around the mouth of the bottle, the movement of her throat as she swallowed.

"Ahhh see? No harm done." She said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Her grin widened as he took the other bottle and took a small sip. It was something he didn't recognize, and not very strong. 

"Very well - but if Arasaka agents burst through our door and I cannot aim straight - I am blaming you." He said and she laughed.

"Fair - 'sides, it'll go bad otherwise and I'd hate to waste all of it." V said lightly as she took another sip. She glanced down for a second and bit her lip, clearly thinking about something.

"What is on your mind?" He asked, taking another small sip of the beer and another glance out the window before turning to face her. V cocked her head to the side, looking at him frankly.

"I'm just wondering, see, Johnny and me have this running debate going," she started and Goro frowned.

"Silverhand? He is speaking to you?" He'd known the construct was active, but had been unaware that V was able to communicate with it. She rarely spoke about the chip unless the subject was already broached, and she'd never before referred to it as anything other than The Relic when speaking to him. She nodded and took another drink.

"Yeah, has been for a long time now - he's usually kind of hanging out at the edge of the room." She gestured vaguely to the apartment and Goro nodded slowly. He didn't know how The Relic worked, but was not surprised to hear this. Viktor - the Ripperdoc who had saved both their lives, had told him a bit about it. How it was slowly dissolving her neural network and killing her from the inside out. 

"But this debate - Johnny insists without your implants you're not much of a threat." She continued, taking another sip of beer. Goro frowned.

"Excuse me?" 

V held up a finger to let him know there was more as she finished swallowing.

"I disagree, but he won't shut up about it, so," she took another drink, downing the rest of the bottle in one go.

"I wanna prove him wrong." She finished, slowly setting the now empty bottle on the table where they'd eaten dinner. Goro raised his eyebrows and stared at her in surprise.

"Are you attempting to goad me into a fight?" He asked in pure disbelief. What the hell was this? Granted, Silverhand was partially right. Without his implants, Goro was just a regular human. A lethal, trained from a young age to kill, human, with years of experience and practice behind him. V laughed and shook her head, waving a hand in front of her face.

"Jesus no, I'm not that stupid Goro - I just thought maybe you could show me a few moves, put Johnny in his place so he'll finally shut up about it." She said, putting her hands on her hips. Goro frowned and took another drink, staring at V as he thought. Silverhand was clearly getting on her nerves, and it would honestly be good to practice, to move his body like the weapon it was again. 

"Your lack of stupidity has been noted, V, and perhaps I could, show you a few moves, as you put it." He said slowly, swirling the beer in the bottle before taking another drink. Goro set the bottle down on the table next to V's empty one and moved away from the window to stand next to the bed, rolling up his sleeves as he did so. V followed, and he caught the way her eyes watched the movement of his fingers. 

Something told him the gunpowder was beginning to spark and a grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. He schooled his expression before looking back at V, folding his hands in front of him and straightening to his full height.

"Try to hit me." He said calmly. V raised her eyebrows and came to stand in front of him, one hand on her hip. 

"Aren't you gonna like, take a stance or something?" She said, striking a caricature of a karate pose. Goro shook his head.

"No, that is stupid. Why would I stand like that at Arasaka-san's shoulder? Try and land a blow." Goro had seen V fight; he knew she relied heavily on her quick hacking abilities in battle, and he had never seen her throw a punch. But she had managed to defeat Oda. It would be interesting to see what this would look like, and what would happen after.

V paced for a minute, seeming to take this rather seriously. She kept her eyes on his, a little bit of a smile on her face and her body angled away from him.   
Making herself a smaller target.  
Suddenly she swung out with a right hook that had all the hallmarks of a trained boxer, but Goro caught it easily, turned her wrist and pulled her arm to flip her around, resulting in her arm twisted up against her back and their bodies flush together. 

"Simple." He said into her ear. V surprised him by turning the opposite direction, the joint in her shoulder rotating unnaturally as she did so, aiming an open palmed strike at his ear. A disorienting tactic to get him to let go. He almost let her make contact before shutting the move down without effort. V clearly had some tricks up her sleeve. She wiggled against him, the movement seeming to ignite sparks and he pulled her closer, her arms locked tight.

"Okay, so, you got me like this, then what happens?" She asked, breathless.

"Usually? I cause your synapses to burn themselves out and you die." He said, breath rustling the hair by her ear. She shivered.

"Fair, but you can't do that right now, so - " V kicked back, her bare leg hooking around his knee and pulling. The strength in the movement was surprising and Goro felt his knee buckle a little before he moved, pushing her down so she was bent at the waist and shoving his knee forward to break her hold. The change in balance made her stumble and she let out a little gasp. The sound was small and choked and thrilling. 

"And so, now you would surrender." He said, voice low. 

"Ah, see, what you're failing to account for is -" V gasped, and then moved, shifting her weight to shove him into the bed. The edge of the alcove caught his knees and Goro buckled, V twisting like an eel to break his hold on her arms. He let go to keep himself from hitting his head on the back wall and she followed right along, swiping her hand out to hit him in the crook of his elbow. His arm gave out and he lost his balance, managing to angle himself so his head fell onto a pillow instead of making contact with the shelf behind him.  
V straddled him, pinning his arms above his head with a triumphant smile. She leaned forwards a little, applying pressure to his wrists.

"- I'm a two-bit thief; we're tricky." She whispered against his lips, her eyes alight. They were both breathing hard, bodies tangled together in the blankets. Goro met her gaze, seeing the fire in her eyes and feeling the heat between her legs as she hovered over his hips, balanced on her knees. They stayed like that for only a second, Goro letting V enjoy her moment on top before simply pulling his hands free from her grasp, thrusting upwards with his hips, grabbing the back of her head and rolling her under him in one swift motion. She squeaked in surprise and he pinned her to the bed easily, catching both of her wrists in one hand and holding them down above her head none too gently. He leaned down, her legs curling on either side of his hips as he did so, her back arching to press them closer together. 

Goro let the sound of their gasping breaths fill the room for a moment before he curled his fingers in her hair, pulling on the short black strands and forcing her to tilt her head back so she was looking him straight in the eye. Her lips were slightly parted, face flushed and openly needy. The sight was something he wanted to savour, so Goro took a moment before a smile curled his lips and he moved even closer, rocking his hips against her and whispering,

"Not tricky enough." Before closing the miniscule gap between them in a heated kiss. V's whole body shivered and she let out a moan that rocked him to his core. V wiggled her fingers in a desperate bid to escape and he obliged, her hands flew to his shirt and tugged at the collar, fingers fumbling with the hidden buttons as he rocked against her again. The hem of her shirt had slid up to her waist during their little wrestling match and he pushed it up further still, eager fingers sliding along her soft skin, gripping at the small of her back as they kissed fervently. Their teeth clacked against each other as Goro shifted to allow V easier access to his shirt. She undid the last button and pushed the garment back over his shoulders, tugging it down over his arms, the fabric catching at his wrists. It was only then Goro remembered the cufflinks and he leaned back, panting as he struggled to undo the silver fastenings. The cufflinks had been a gift from Arasaka-san, and he treasured them, but at this exact second he wished they'd been left at his hideout to burn with the rest of it. 

"Jesus," V breathed, her hands running down the length of his chest. 

"What?" He asked, fingers fumbling with the clasps. 

"You…" She murmured, fingers sliding over the lean muscle of his abdomen; the touch left trails of fire down his skin and he finally got the cufflinks undone, tossing the shirt unceremoniously to the floor.

"What about me?" He asked, staring down at her, spread like a vision on the bed beneath him. 

"You're breathtaking," she said, her hands tracing patterns on his skin. Goro laughed, soft and low, and reached down to gently caress her cheek.

"I've said it before - you mock me too much, V." He breathed. V shook her head, a laugh caught in the sigh that escaped her lips.

"Valerie - and I'm not mocking you, not now, not ever." She paused, then smiled,

"Okay the Hideshi Hino thing was me mocking you; but let's not talk about that right now." She said and Goro let out a groan.

"I had nearly banished it from my memory, and you bring it up again,Valerie?" The sound of her name seemed to bring another flush to her cheeks and Goro leaned forwards, catching her chin in his hand and tilting her face up to him. She followed his unspoken direction eagerly, sitting up as much as she could while still pinned beneath him. 

"What should I do about that?" He mused aloud, tilting her head gently to the side. Valerie was panting, her lips slightly open, hands curling in the sheets as he held her gaze. 

"If, you're asking my opinion, I say you fuck me, seems like, like a fitting resolution. " She gasped, squirming beneath him. Goro smiled, pleased that she'd understood he was asking for permission. He would have clarified if she hadn't, but it meant something that she had.

"Hmm, does it?" He said finally, voice low and teasing. Valerie squirmed again and let out a frustrated gasp,

"Christ Goro, you want me to beg?" She whispered, face flushing redder but a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.   
Goro nodded slowly, as if thinking it over.

"It could only help in a case like yours." He said, running his thumb over her lips. Valerie closed her eyes and quivered at the touch, her chest heaving with each breath.

"Goddamnit Goro please fuck me, please?" She whispered, the words more of a mewl than anything. The sound made him shiver and he slid his thumb between her lips, relishing the feeling of her tongue on his skin. 

"How could I deny you?" He murmured, sliding his thumb in and out of her mouth as she moaned around it. She pulled back a little, eyes glittering and a smile on her face.

"Oh are you suggesting you don't want this?" She arched her back a little, rolling her hips so her warm, wet centre pressed against his erection. He groaned and pulled her close, their mouths centimeters apart as he whispered.

"I do, I want nothing more than to make you scream while I am inside you, fucking you senseless." He said slowly, sliding his hand down her side to grip her ass tight, fingers digging into the soft fabric of her shorts. 

"Fuck," Valerie breathed, her eyes fluttering closed. Goro let go of her chin to pull roughly at her shirt. The threadbare fabric gave way and he tossed the torn garment to the floor. Valerie laughed. Her bare breasts pressed against him and he moved his hand from its position to slide up her side again, squeezing her breast before rolling her nipple between his fingers experimentally. She wiggled and gasped at the touch, reaching up to dig her fingers into his hair and pulling at his topknot, loosing the strands to fall around his face. 

Valerie kissed him roughly, eagerly, long nails scraping against his scalp. Goro groaned into her mouth, and she slid her tongue between his lips, the contact making him pant even harder. He pushed her down onto the bed, not breaking the kiss and let go of her breast to pull at his belt, fingers clumsy with desire. The buckle came loose faster than the cufflinks, and he left it hanging in the loops before tugging open the button on his pants. Valerie's fingers were suddenly there, pulling at his zipper and shoving the waistband of his pants down around his thighs. Goro reluctantly pulled away to shuck his pants, only realising he was still wearing his shoes when they caught around his ankles. With a growl of frustration, Goro swung his legs over the side of the bed and undid the laces of his shoes, leaving them half-tied and tossing them away before finally struggling out of his pants. 

A pair of shorts flew past his head to join the ever-growing pile of clothes on Valerie's floor and Goro pulled his boxers off with such speed the fabric seemed to cry out in protest. He hurriedly slid back into the alcove of the bed, grabbing Valerie's ankle and pulling her closer to him. She let out a gasp of laughter which quickly turned into a moan as he captured her mouth again in a fevered kiss, hands sliding all over her body as he couldn't decide where to let his fingers linger. Valerie slid a hand up the back of his neck, long nails scratching deliciously over the buzzed section of his hair before sliding up and tugging at the roots. Goro let out a low moan of pleasure and pressed forward, angling his hips so he didn't enter her yet but slid his length along her wet entrance, wrapping his arms around her legs to grip her thighs tightly. Valerie moaned and the fingers of her free hand curled tighter in the sheets, her legs flexing in his grip. 

"Fffuck, Goro," she gasped, back arching as he did it again, another moaned swear slipping past her lips as he did it yet again.

"Goro, please, I'm literally begging you, please fuck me." She whined, her nails digging into his scalp. 

Teasing was all well and good, but frustration was not what he was going for so without any more pretense he thrust into her fully, a heady moan escaping him as Valerie cried out in pleasure. Her fingers clutched at the sheets and she swore explosively as he thrust again, hard. Goro tilted her legs back to have a deeper angle, fingers digging into her thighs. He breathed deeply, trying not to overexert himself right in the beginning and savoring the feeling of being buried to the hilt inside of Valerie - who had done so much for him in the short time they'd known each other.

He remembered something Viktor had told him when he'd dragged her body to his clinic after he'd pulled her from the trash pile; Goro had asked after her health one day as she lay recovering, referring to her as Valerie when Viktor shook his head. "V - only let's people she loves call 'er Valerie, and while I'm sure she 'preciates being pulled outta that trashheap, I wouldn't count on that." 

So V she became. 

Only now, she was Valerie again, looking up at him with hazy eyes and an expression of utmost pleasure on her face. 

Goro leaned down, letting go of her legs to slide further forward, resting on one elbow and reaching for her fingers with the other hand and finding them, interlocking his with hers. She let out a shivering sigh and he kissed her again, changing his pace to something less furious. She wrapped her legs around his back, locking her ankles together as they made love. Valerie moaned and their bodies curved together, perfectly in sync. After a few minutes that felt like blissful hours Goro sat up, pulling Valerie with him. She gripped his shoulders, loosening her legs so they fell haphazardly to his sides and he pulled her hands away, holding them for a second before turning her around.

"On your knees." He said, and she eagerly obeyed, shifting around and shoving the blankets away in her haste. Goro grabbed Valerie's hips and pulled her against him roughly, a gutteral sigh of satisfaction escaping his lips as her slick heat enveloped him once more. He curled his toes in the blankets and closed his eyes, fingers digging into her hip bones as he pulled her back to meet him with every thrust. The lewd sound of their bodies smacking together combined with Valerie's mewling gasps of pleasure filled the room, and he let out a groan of ecstasy. 

Goro slid one hand up along Valerie's back, not having to reach far to bury his fingers in her hair again. She turned her head to look back at him, face flushed and completely open to him. He could just see the tip of her tongue poking out between her lips and he loved the sight, pleasure mounting in him with each rough thrust of his hips. Goro shoved her face into the pillow, grabbing her arm with his free hand and yanking it back so he was in total control of the pace. Her other hand was tangled in the sheets, having yanked the fabric so hard it had come loose. She panted and moaned loudly, half-coherent swears and pleas for more clear even over the squeaking of the bed. 

She was loud, and he loved it. Goro pulled Valerie's hair, yanking her head from the pillow so her back curved tightly, the muscles cording as she whimpered.

"Say my name." Goro panted, feeling his own muscles twitching with exertion and the need for release. Valerie gasped and moaned again, face twisted with pleasure. 

"Say. My. Name." He said again, gritting his teeth as he pounded into her. 

"Ah fffuck Goro, GORO!" Valerie screamed, her eyes rolling shut and he moaned again, almost as loud as her. He felt her orgasm, felt the fluttering of her internal muscles as she came hard and loud. Goro kept up this pace for as long as he could manage, letting his pent up tension, fear and anger bleed out through the frantic rythm of their fucking; fingers gripping her arm hard enough to bruise as she screamed out her own ecstasy. His hair stuck to his jaw, sweat beading in his beard and there was nothing else in this world except the two of them; no Arasaka, no Relic, just them.

He came undone with a choked and frantic moan, pounding out his release so hard he felt his hips might fracture, each wave of pleasure making him gasp. Finally he was well and truly spent, and he slowed, breath coming in harsh gasps. Valerie moaned softly, her body tensing around him as she came once again, toes curling in the messed up sheets. Goro waited for her to relax fully before pulling free of her and falling onto the bed; she immediately followed, knees giving out as she collapsed face first into the pillow.

They lay there for a long moment, coming down from that high and catching their breath. After a few seconds, Valerie pulled her head up from the pillow and looked at him, her hair a mess and cheeks red as cherries.

"Feel better?" She gasped, and he let out an exhausted chuckle. She laughed as well, the sound weak and tired and she rolled onto her side to see him more clearly. Goro reached over and pushed her hair back away from her face, sliding his hand down her cheek to cup her chin. He pulled her to him and kissed her softly, body thrumming with the release of so much. 

"Yes - I believe so." He panted, moving his arm to wrap it around her shoulders and tuck her against his chest. Valerie draped her arm across his body and curled against him, a shuddering sigh slipping from between her lips as she closed her eyes. 

They lay still for a long time, Valerie idly running her fingers along his chest, tracing the lines of his implants and scars as he rubbed his palm along her back, feeling thick ropey scar tissue running along her shoulder blades, the texture at odds with the rest of her soft skin. He didn't want to break this bubble, did not want this moment to ever end. 

"One of us needs to be on watch." Valerie finally murmured, her lips moving against his skin. Goro did not stop running his fingers along her back.

"You are correct." 

"Mmm, I'll do it - you did all the work earlier." She said, and he felt her mouth curl into a smile. He chuckled and slowly sat up, body aching in the most pleasant way as he moved. Turning to her, Goro held out his hand to help her up from the tangle of blankets and sheets, pulling her up onto her knees and then into a hug. He rested his cheek against her chest, listening to the steady beating of her heart for a moment before letting her pull away.

"Very well - but wake me for any reason, if you need to." He said as she turned away to find her clothes. Valerie nodded as she picked up her shorts and Goro lay back down, tucking one arm under his head to watch her as she dressed. The gunpowder had blown, but smouldering embers remained and he was sure they would never go out. The feeling warmed him to his core and he watched Valerie's every movement, memorizing the line of her shoulder, the curve of her back as she bent to pick up the remnants of her shirt. She turned and held the torn fabric up, waving it at him.

"I liked this shirt you know, one of my faves." She said with an attempt at a frown, and Goro snorted.

"I will purchase you a new ugly shirt if you so desire."

Valerie looked mildly offended.

"Ugly? This was a limited edition Crazy Thuggz tank top!" She said. Goro wrinkled his nose.

"It looks better in pieces." He replied and Valerie snorted. She tossed it aside with a grin.

"I'm going to hold you to that you know." She said as she dug around in one of the drawers under the bed. 

"Good - know I will not disappoint you." He murmured softly and Valerie looked up to meet his gaze. She smiled gently.

"I know." She replied, and the trust in her voice made his heart swell in his chest. Valerie leaned down to press a kiss to his lips and he touched her cheek before she pulled away. 

"Go to sleep Goro, I'll see you in the morning." She whispered and he relented, pushing the pillow into a more comfortable position before settling down and closing his eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

Morning came quickly, light sliding between the gaps in the shutters to caress his eyelids, waking him gently from a very restful sleep. Goro rolled over and sat up, stretching his shoulders and arms as he yawned. He looked down at his bare chest and smiled, pushing his hair out of his eyes as he felt around in the blankets for the elastic that usually kept it neat and tidy. He found it after a few moments, pulling his hair up as he looked around the room. His clothes had been picked up and neatly folded, sitting in a pile on the coffee table, shoes placed just so underneath. Smiling, Goro got out of bed and sat for a moment, rolling his shoulders to loosen the tight muscles before getting up and dressing.

Valerie was nowhere in sight. He could hear the shower running, and the half-empty cup of coffee on the table and rifle leaned against it meant she had indeed sat up and watched all night. He finished tucking in his shirt and picked up the cup, intending to empty it into the sink and make her a fresh one. Goro walked over to the small kitchen area and set about refilling the coffee maker, humming to himself.

"Valerie - would you like another cup of coffee?" He called over his shoulder. The bathroom door was closed, the sound of the running water loud in the quiet space. There was no reply and so he walked to   
the door, knocking on it four times.

"I asked if you would like another cup of coffee - you prefer three sugars, yes?" He waited for a reply that did not come.

"Valerie?" 

There was no steam curling out from under the door, the water must have been running for a long time. A sudden tightness seized his chest and he slammed his fist against the wall hard enough to make it crack, opening the door. 

Valerie sat slumped in a corner, back against the wall, arms and legs completely limp. Her head hung low on her chest, her clothes from the night before soaked through as the shower poured down on her, water pooling under her limp body. Time seemed to slow as a drop of water slid down her nose.

Goro's heart was in his throat, he took a step forward and her head jerked up to face him. 

"Valerie's not here right now." She said. Her face was mostly slack, but something angry burned in her eyes and there was a tightness to her jaw he had never seen before.

"What -" he breathed, shock and fear making his voice quiet.

"She had to take a back seat, pain was gettin' to her. Had to take over for a while, give 'er a break." Valerie said. But it was not Valerie.

"Silverhand?" Goro whispered, stepping closer. The water splashed against his shoes and Silverhand reached up with Valerie's hand to turn it off, fingers stiff and clumsy. The shower sputtered and Goro stared with horror at the person on the floor. She - he stared back, pale eyes narrowed with hatred and pure spite. Silverhand stood slowly, leaning heavily against the wall and slipping a little on the wet floor. Goro instinctively reached out to help but Silverhand slapped him away, fingers wet and cold. 

"Don't fucking touch me." He grunted, steadying himself against the wall. They stared at each other for a long time, before Silverhand seemed to pull himself together and straightend Valerie's body. 

"Outta my way, I need a smoke." He said, the voice somehow both Valerie's and not hers; the tones low and growling. Goro stepped back, out of the bathroom as Silverhand stumbled past, knocking against the wall with a grimace.

"What is wrong with her." Goro asked sharply as Silverhand banged Valerie's hip against the counter with a sharp swear.

"FUCK! This body, everything's too big or too fuckin' small…" he muttered, steadying himself on the lip of the counter before stumbling to the couch and falling onto it. Goro followed right behind, unsure of what to do.

Silverhand reached under the couch cushion and felt around, an ugly scowl twisting Valerie's face as he searched for something. Goro had seen pictures of Silverhand, knew what he looked like, and there was something of the man's thin, cold features in the shadows on her face. 

It disturbed him greatly.

Goro stared as Silverhand pulled a crushed pack of cigarettes and a lighter from the couch, pulling one free and stuffing it between Valerie's lips before lighting it up with a shaking hand. 

They stared at each other for several minutes, Silverhand puffing his way through two cigarettes before he finally spoke.

"You fuck hard old man." He said cooly, flicking Valerie's eyes over Goro with a sneer. Goro gritted his teeth and crossed his arms.

"I ask you again - what is wrong with her." He spat, ignoring the crude comment for what was really important. Silverhand let Valerie's head thump back against the wall, spiteful eyes never leaving his. 

"...Relic's eating at 'er, like I said. I can't feel it, not really, so I took over to give 'er a break from the pain." He held up one of Valerie's hands and turned it slowly, wiggling her fingers.

"Everything's kinda far away...like being in VR. Ain't done this before...s'weird." He muttered, more to himself than to Goro.

"Get out of her head." Goro said lowly. Silverhand stopped looking at Valerie's hand and leaned back slowly, crossing her legs and putting her feet up on the table, knocking over a stack of magazines.

"Can't, you 'saka bastard, no matter how much I wanna - " he paused, a look of confusion on Valerie's face as Silverhand uncrossed her legs and then crossed them the other way.

"Fuck, no dick - this's weird." He shifted on the couch, looking truly uncomfortable for a moment before returning his focus to Goro.

"Like I was sayin' I don't wanna be in here anymore than you want me to be, but there is literally not a Goddamn thing I can do about it." He grunted, pulling another cigarette out. Goro waved his hands in annoyance.

"Go back to the corners of her mind then, until Arasaka is able to solve this problem and remove you like the tumour you are!" He snapped. Silverhand stared at him through a haze of smoke, the lights of a passing AV shining through the shutters and flickering over Valerie's eyes.

"You think 'Saka's gonna fix this? Fix her? Why, cause you want it real bad?" He asked slowly, taking a long drag on the cigarette. Silverhand tapped ash onto the floor, smearing it into the carpet with Valerie's bare foot. Goro felt his nostrils flare and he paced closer, standing so his shadow loomed over Silverhand.

"They will fix it, Hanako-sama - " 

"Didn't say anything of the goddamn sort! I saw that little conversation you three had, V beggin' like some kinda gonk." Silverhand spat, gesturing to him with the lit cigarette. Ash fell from the burning end onto Goro's shoes and his scowl deepened. A sneer curled the edge of Valerie's mouth and Silverhand exhaled, blowing smoke up into Goro's face.

"Guess she likes that though huh, beggin'. Shoulda known she'd go back to takin' Corpo dick soon as she got her chance." 

Goro reached down and grabbed the collar of Valerie's shirt, lifting Silverhand bodily from the couch.

"Enough! Remove yourself from control before I make you!" He snapped. 

Silverhand laughed.   
The sound was low and rough and terribly wrong. Smoke curled up between Valerie's lips and poured into his face as Goro gripped the shirt collar. 

"Take it easy, I know you like it rough but V here ain't in the best shape for that right now." Silverhand said, holding up one of Valerie's shaking hands. Goro let go of the shirt and he dropped back to the couch, still laughing. Goro clenched his fists, cold fury coursing through him as he tried to think of what to do.   
He had no idea.   
No plan, no understanding of what was happening to even begin to try and fix it. He wondered if he should call Viktor, he had the Ripperdoc's number in case of an emergency but he knew he shouldn't break lockdown. 

Finally, Silverhand had smoked the last cigarette in the pack and he tossed the lighter to the floor. He sat still for a moment, then pointed at the bathroom.

"Blue bottle of pills, gimme one." He grunted. Goro narrowed his eyes.

"Why would I do that?" He growled.  
Silverhand rolled Valerie's eyes.

"Cause the pain's died down; I gotta give V her body back and I don't wanna look at your ugly mug any more." He said. Goro curled his lip and turned on his heel, stalking to the bathroom and found the bottle easily. It was large, and half full of red and blue pills. He turned the bottle over in his hand, reading the label.  
Omega blockers...he didn't recognize what the drug was, had never heard of it before. This concerned him, but Silverhand having control of Valerie's body was more concerning still, so Goro took one of the pills and brought it back to the couch. Silverhand snatched it roughly from his palm and turned it over in Valerie's fingers, eyeing the red and blue pill with distaste. 

"Bottoms up." He muttered, popped the pill in Valerie's mouth and swallowed. The effect was instant.   
Her head dropped again and her whole body went limp, slumping forward on the couch and then going still.

Goro waited a second, two, before he reached out and touched her shoulder. 

"Valerie?"   
She came to roughly, curling in on herself and coughing hard enough that her whole frame shook. She wiped the back of her hand across her mouth, smearing blood over her lips.

"J-Jesus, fuck…" she groaned, sitting back on the couch. Her eyes closed for a second and then re-opened, seemingly unable to focus. 

"Valerie, are you well?" Goro asked quietly, even though he knew the answer was no.  
She took a second to fully come back to her senses, finally focusing on him with a wan smile.

"Sure, just peachy." She said weakly. Goro took her hand in both of his, afraid to touch her more than that; her sudden fragility was frightening. She curled her fingers around his palm and took several deep breaths. 

"Sorry you had to see that - Johnny behaved himself I hope?" She asked with another cough. Goro exhaled sharply and shook his head.

"He was - belligerent. How do you manage with him in your mind all the time?" He asked. Valerie gave a little shrug, shifting on the couch to get more comfortable.

"You get used to it, 'sides, he likes me…you however, well.." she trailed off, looking at him for a moment.

"...he's not your biggest fan." She finished. Goro snorted, his lip curling.

"I noticed this; truly it is a wonder you have remained sane with him trapped in your mind." He said, shaking his head again. Valerie gave a short laugh and sat up, rolling her head from side to side. She squeezed his hand before pulling her fingers free, bracing her hands on her knees before standing up. 

"You should -" Goro started to say but Valerie shook her head.

"What, sit down and wallow? No thanks, I'm hungry, and fucking soaked - could you get me a towel?" She said, indicating her sopping clothes. Goro made sure she would not fall over before turning to get a towel from the shelf. He stopped as he reached for it, looking at his trembling hand. They needed to hear from Hanako-sama, waiting was no longer an option; Valerie needed help, and he would do everything in his power to make sure she got it.


	5. Chapter 5

They didn't have to wait long.  
Night had fallen, and Goro and Valerie sat on the couch together, a rifle in his hands and a shotgun in hers. He'd suggested she get some rest, but she'd said no, she'd rather be awake with him. The unspoken thought that this could be her last night hung heavy between them and Goro hated it. He looked over to her, noticing the tightness in her jaw, the way her eyes were squinting, as if looking into a bright light.  
She was in pain. 

"I want to show you Japan." He said abruptly. Valerie blinked and looked over at him, surprise on her face.

"What?"

"Japan - I wish to show it to you, the cherry blossoms, the streets of Tokyo and the shrines of Kyoto; Chiba-11. All of it." He said firmly. Valerie stared at him for a moment before she looked away, a slightly bitter smile on her face.

"That's...a nice sentiment Goro; I'd like to see it too, but -" Goro shook his head and made a chopping motion with his hand, cutting her off.

"No buts; it will happen, and you will enjoy it." He said, voice sharp.

"Real yakitori - I will make you onigiri with umeboshi plums, and you will never have to work as a mercenary again." He said, in a tone that brokered no argument. Valerie turned in her seat, looking at him with an odd expression on her face. She studied him for a moment, eyes flicking from the set line of his mouth to the sharp edge in his eyes.

"Goro, what are you say -" 

There was a knock at the door. 

Goro was on his feet in an instant, Valerie gripping her shotgun tight as they split to either side of the room, Goro slipping into the bathroom and aiming the rifle at the door. Valerie crept to the far wall, face tight.

Another knock.

"Uh, I'm here with a message? For someone named V?" A woman's voice called. She sounded rather bored. Goro looked across the room to meet Valerie's gaze. They held a quick and silent discussion about opening the door; it could be an Arasaka hit squad, or, a message from Hanako-sama. Goro had a strange feeling that it was the latter, and did his best to convey this to Valerie from across the room without saying anything. She widened her eyes and looked at him like he was mad for a second but then nodded. She took a deep breath, and Goro inhaled slowly, sighting down his rifle as she went for the door. 

If he was right, he would get to show Valerie Japan. 

If he was wrong they would both be dead and it wouldn't matter. 

Goro prayed that he was right. 

The door swished open and Goro tensed, seeing Valerie do the same, but there was only a woman in a suit, her hair up in a ponytail and a cigarette between her fingers. The woman looked a bit surprised to see Valerie holding a shotgun but waltzed into the room regardless, the door closing behind her. 

Goro held his breath, rifle poised.

The woman looked around for a second then pointed at the computer chair. 

"Gimme that, it'll start any second."  
She either took no notice of him, standing in the bathroom pointing a rifle at her head, or just didn't care.  
Valerie pushed the chair over to the woman and she sat down with a huff, tucking her skirt behind her knees as she perched on the chair. She looked around, snatched a plate from the counter and set her cigarette on it.

"Here we go…" she said and then her head slumped for a split second. Her whole posture shifted to the straight backed poise of Hanako-sama and Goro let out a long, repressed sigh.  
He had been right.

The Proxy blinked, red eyes flicking from his face to Valerie's before settling on his.

"Takemura - I am pleased you are here as well, it will make things easier." She said, her voice sounding nothing like the eldest Arasaka child but having the exact same cadence. Goro quickly lowered his rifle to his side and bowed.

"Hanako-sama, I again humbly ask your forgiveness for my transgression against you. Know I would never have done such a thing, without the utmost need." He said, slipping into Japanese out of respect.

The Proxy looked at him for a moment and then gave a short nod.

"I understand this, Takemura. I have...thought on what you said, and believe you both are telling the truth." She said. Goro shot Valerie a hopeful glance and she returned it. The Proxy nodded at him again before turning to her.

"I was able to hide your escape from my brother, but not for much longer. It is not safe for either of you here. I have taken other...steps to move things into positions that will help us." The Proxy paused to give a polite cough, and then pushed the cigarette and plate further away.

"Arasaka will help you, V. But you must agree to testify, and return The Relic." 

Valerie hesitated for a second and then nodded.

"Okay, I can do that - but you gotta give me your word you will help save my life, 'cause I just made plans, and it'd kill me to cancel them." Valerie said. Her voice, usually so casual, was tight with emotion.

The Proxy looked her up and down, clearly making an assessment.

"From what you have told me, death is already close at your door."

There was a pregnant pause. Goro could feel his heart pounding in his ears.

"You have my word." The Proxy said. Valerie's shoulders visibly relaxed and the Proxy turned back to him.

"Takemura - I must speak to you alone." 

"Hanako-sama - " Goro began to thank her but she cut him off by raising her hand and looking to Valerie pointedly. 

"Guess I'll uh, go in the closet?" She muttered after a brief stare down. Keeping her grip on her weapon, Valerie backed into the gun closet and the glass slid to the floor.

The Proxy waited a second before turning back to him, she leaned forwards and spoke in a much quieter tone.

"Takemura, I have news; my father, his consciousness was downloaded onto a chip just before he left Japan." 

Goro sucked in a breath. He was shocked. Why had Arasaka-sama not told him? 

"Arasaka-sama - he is alive?" He whispered. The Proxy nodded.

"His engram currently resides on a computer hidden in Arasaka tower, another Relic is being prepared for him. Nii-san does not know." She said. Takemura rubbed the back of his hand as he processed this. He was very pleased to hear that Arasaka-sama still lived in some capacity, that he not completely failed in his duty to protect him. 

"There is a vessel ready for him?" Goro asked quietly and the Proxy winced before shaking her head.

"No - the clone is not ready yet...he has other plans." She said, voice dropping even softer. Goro's eyebrows knitted together. Cloning, while not exactly illegal, was a delicate matter - bodies could be grown for replacement parts, as long as there was no higher brain functionality. Arasaka-sama had ordered the creation of a clone of himself months ago, when his doctors explained that they could only do so much with implants and genetic regression, that his body was beginning to fail. This was unacceptable to Arasaka-sama; he was determined to see his company, his legacy, come to its fruition. So he had swept legalities and restrictions aside and put the best geneticists in Arasaka - and therefore the world - on the job. Goro had not known that Arasaka-sama had created an engram of himself, but it was completely in line with his employer's ability to plan for the future; the instinctive understanding that had allowed him to build Arasaka into the towering success it was today.

"Hanako-sama...thank you for agreeing to help us." He said, keeping his voice even and controlled. Things were going even better than he had hoped; Hanako-sama had her father's ear, and Arasaka-sama would listen to and consider her words. 

The Proxy tilted her chin back, looking at him with an unreadable expression.

"This is important to you." She said after a moment and Goro nodded. He did not wish to reveal just how much it mattered, aware that his position was precarious; things could still go wrong. 

"Very well. I will contact you with further instructions. V?" The Proxy turned to the closet and the smoked glass slid back up into the ceiling. Valerie reemerged, shotgun still in hand.

"We will meet in person. Come to Embers, I suggest you find new hiding places until then." The Proxy said. Valerie nodded slowly and Goro inclined his head. The Proxy shuddered, closed her eyes and when they opened again the red light had gone. She yawned, picked up her cigarette from the plate and stood up, smoothing her skirt.

"Well, that's my job done." She took a drag on her cigarette and turned on her heel, the door closing behind her with a resounding click.

They stood still for a long moment, staring at the door.

"Fuck me...she actually believed us." Valerie breathed, slowly sitting in the chair. She rested her shotgun on her knees and dragged her hands down her face before letting her forehead rest on her interlocked knuckles. She went quiet and Goro let out a long breath.

"She wishes to meet in person - there is no better sign of her trust." He said, and when Valerie did not reply, he touched her shoulder.

"Valerie?" 

She jerked, looking up at him, her eyes unfocused.

"Sorry - talking to, talkin' to Johnny...he's pissed; doesn't think we should trust her." She said slowly and Goro shook his head.

"Do not listen to the construct - we have a plan, it will work." He set the rifle down and got on one knee, taking her hand in his.

"Trust me - I will never disappoint you." He said, and he had never meant anything more in his life.


	6. Chapter 6

Two years passed.

Goro returned to his position at Arasaka-sama's shoulder, his master now living through his son Yorinobu's body. Goro found this a fitting punishment for the crime of patricide. The media did not agree, calling Saburo's use of Yorinobu's body a crime against nature, and while people protested in the streets, corporations that had been on the brink of severing ties with Arasaka came back into the fold after the mess Yorinobu had created was swept away.

Two years of waiting.

Saburo Arasaka was invigorated in his new body, making plans, stretching his reach even further and Arasaka thrived. 

Two years of quiet agony.

Goro stood outside the clean room in Arasaka headquarters, hands folded behind his back. He gripped a small package in his fingers, running his thumb over the plain brown wrapping paper. He breathed slowly through his nose, long even breaths to calm his stuttering heart. The doctor beside him finished his scan and stepped away, tapping a stylus against the screen of his tablet.

"All clear Takemura-San; but what is that?" He gestured to the package and Goro held it up.

"A gift." He said, somehow managing to keep his voice steady. Two years of a cold and empty bed, a cold and empty life. The doctor hesitated for a moment and then nodded.

"It will have to be disinfected, you understand." He said, a note of apology in his voice. Goro nodded and reluctantly handed the package over. The doctor took it and disappeared into another room for a few moments and Goro took the opportunity to let out a shuddering breath. Everything up until this point had felt like it was happening in slow motion, every day another agonizing step on a long and winding path, the end seemingly further and further away no matter how he reached for it. The door in front of him was perfectly white, sterile and cold. He had finally reached the end, finally reached the beginning. He swallowed, feeling the implants in his body react to the spike of adrenaline that shot through him as the doctor returned and handed him the package back. 

"Very good, you may go in now." 

The wrapping had been disturbed, the crisp folds of the corners now rounded. He smoothed the paper out as best he could and then took a deep breath. Goro stepped forwards and the white door opened. A bright shaft of light poured into the hallway, making him squint as he crossed the threshold. The room was small and every wall was covered in diagnostic equipment, a swath of computer monitors and beeping consoles, all centered around a bed in the middle of the room. 

Goro took another step, his breath caught in his throat. 

The bed was angled up, an IV spiraling down into the arm of the person lying still in the white sheets. 

Valerie opened her eyes slowly as he approached, and her face, nearly as pale as the pillow beneath her head, lit up.

"Hey." She said softly, and Goro felt something shatter within him. He swallowed thickly, the muscles in his jaw working as he suppressed the jumble of emotions that was flooding through him. He crossed the length of the room in two strides and sat slowly in the chair next to the bed, eyes never leaving hers. She turned her head to look at him, black hair, longer than it had been, curled against her neck with the movement. She looked...different, her eyes, once implants the color of a snowy sky, were a warm brown. There was no tracing of metal along her cheekbones, no piercings in her ears; the sharp angles of her face seemed softer, the lines of her throat more delicate. 

But it was her.

Goro struggled for a moment to get himself under control; there were cameras all over the room, they were being observed by at least three doctors and possibly Arasaka- sama himself. After all, the only reason this was happening at all was because his master had allowed it. 

When Valerie had agreed to be archived two years ago, Goro had already come up with a plan for how they would see each other again. He had left Mikoshi in terrible pain, but with a burning sense of purpose. The shuttle ride back to Earth had felt like an eternity, the drive to Tokyo even longer. Three flights of stairs and an elevator ride to Arasaka- sama’s office. Two knocks on the ebony door traced in gold.

“Come in.” Yorinobu’s voice, now carrying the weight and authority of Arasaka-sama, had rung out after a mere second but the wait had been excruciating. 

Goro entered the office and bowed deeply.

Arasaka-sama looked down at him from a conversation with Hanako-sama, the glasses perched on Yorinobu’s nose flashing in the light as he turned.

“Takemura, your visit to Mikoshi was fruitful, I hope?” he asked, in a tone that indicated displeasure if the answer was otherwise. Hanako-sama folded her golden hands in front of her and looked at him, face as impassive as porcelain. Goro nodded, and Arasaka-sama smiled.

“Very good.” he said and steepled his fingers, eyes flicking over his bodyguard with interest as Goro did not turn to go.

“But there is more?” he asked, a hint of surprise in his tone.

“Arasaka-sama, I must beg a boon of you.” Goro said, gritting his teeth to keep too much emotion from his voice. There was a ringing silence, punctuated only by a quiet gasp from Hanako-sama as he dropped to his knees, placing both palms on the marble floor and bowing so low his nose nearly brushed the tiles. 

The silence stretched for several heartbeats and Goro silently begged for his master to be in a generous mood today. 

“...you have served me well for many years, Takemura, and never asked for anything,” Arasaka-sama began slowly, curiosity plain in his voice.

“And now you come to me on your knees?” 

Goro did not lift his head, fully prepared to beg if it came to that.

Arasaka-sama stood up, pushing the chair away from his desk and walking down the three shallow steps leading up to his desk, his shoes clicking loudly on the polished marble as he came to stand next to him. Goro could see his reflection in the floor; black suit crisp and perfect, arms folded behind his back. Arasaka-sama shook his head.

“Do you not think, that after you have proved time and time again your loyalty and honor, that I would not give you whatever your heart desired?” he said. Goro looked up, surprised.

“Arasaka-sama - I,” he began, but his master held up his hand and Goro immediately shut his mouth, unwilling to make even the tiniest misstep and lose this chance.

“Save your platitudes, I refuse to hear you beg. Get up, and tell me what it is you want so badly that you would tarnish your honor.” Arasaka-sama said and Goro slowly got to his feet. He straightened his back, and inclined his head respectfully. 

“I...wish for a clone to be made, of Valerie Thierry, and her engram activated." 

"The little thief?" Arasaka-sama asked in surprise. Goro nodded and he caught a flash of gold as Hanako-sama's hands knitted together across the room. His master turned to study him and Goro raised his eyes to meet his gaze. Arasaka-sama had changed his life by looking him in the eye once before, perhaps it would happen once again. The eyes that looked back at him now were just as sharp as they had been then, piercing deep into his very soul. The seconds ticked by, Hanako-sama's golden fingers twisting together, shining in the soft light.

"Very well, Takemura. You may have your thief." He said, a hint of amusement in his voice and a knowing look in his eye. Hanako-sama's hands stopped their fidgeting and Goro closed his eyes in pure relief, a titanic weight lifting from his shoulders. He bowed again, folding his hands in front of him.

"Arasaka-sama...thank you." He said, voice thick with emotion despite his best efforts to keep it calm. His master nodded and turned on his heel, returning to his desk. 

"You may go, Takemura." 

Goro bowed once more, hope blossoming in his chest and growing with each step he took out of the room. As he closed the door, he could not help but hear the beginning of the conversation between Arasaka-sama and his daughter.

"Father, that was very generous...thank you." 

"It will be a perfect test Hana-Chan; Takemura may have just given us the golden ticket to Arasaka's next success."

Goro knew there was more to Arasaka-sama's generosity than just good-will, but it did not matter to him. He had kept his word, just as he had sworn to Valerie in that cold white room before she signed away her life and left her body on a slab.

And here she was, alive and free of the tumour that had been Silverhand, and only inches away. Valerie reached out to him and he took her hand, wrapping it between both of his own after setting the package on his lap. She smiled, and the sight made his throat catch.

"You look like a million Eddies." She said, voice soft. A crack appeared in his controlled facade and Goro pulled her fingers to his lips, unable to keep himself from pressing a kiss to her knuckles. 

"Is that true? It is how I feel." He replied just as quietly. Valerie chuckled.

"Throw any scop-burgers off bridges while I was gone?" She asked with the smirk he had missed so terribly. Goro shook his head with a suppressed laugh.

"No, I will never put such a thing near my mouth again." 

"Smart." She said, and squeezed his hand. There was very little strength in her grip. They just looked at each for a long moment, Goro running his thumb over her knuckles, re-memorizing her face. Valerie was squinting slightly, as if unable to focus.  
There was a buzz.

"Are you having trouble with your vision?" A voice asked over an intercom, reminding him that they were not alone. Valerie nodded slowly, then let out a surprised laugh.

"It's, yeah, it's nothing...I used to wear glasses, I got the implants so long ago I forgot." She said to the doctor, but her eyes never left his face.

"Astigmatism. Understood." The voice said, and the intercom buzzed off. Goro reached down with one hand and picked the package from his lap, presenting it to her. Valerie raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"What's this?" She asked, taking the gift in her free hand and setting it on her lap. Goro reluctantly let her fingers slip from his as she went to unwrap the paper.

"It is a promise." He said quietly. Valerie shot him a confused look as she finished unwrapping the gift. Goro watched her expression change from confusion to shock to something else as she pulled an old shirt from the wrapping, the hideous design unfolding and something rolling into her lap as she held it up at arm's length.

"...limited edition Crazy Thuggs tank top…"

She whispered hoarsely. A monitor on the bed began to beep and the intercom buzzed again.

"Your heartrate is elevated, remain calm or a sedative will be issued." The doctor said, disapproval clear even over the slightly mechanical tones of the intercom. Valerie shot the small box a glare.

"Hey, can you fuck off for a sec?" She said, and there was a 'tsk' from the intercom. Valerie glared at the box for a second longer then looked back to him, her face softening.

"Where did you even get this?" She asked with a laugh of disbelief, turning the shirt over in her hands. Goro leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, folding his hands together.

"Many, many hours of searching on the Net," he said with a rueful smile, and Valerie pulled the shirt close to her chest, wrapping her arms around it and looking down. 

"I told you, I will never disappoint you." Goro said as Valerie picked up what had been wrapped in the shirt. 

The ring caught the light of the room and the simple gold band gleamed.

Valerie turned it over in her fingers, inhaling deeply.

"Goro…"

"There are many benefits - for example," Goro began, holding up his fingers as he counted,

"One, you will become a Japanese citizen. Two, any record of your previous crimes will be removed. Two and a half, there will be many opportunities available to you -" 

"Do I get you?" 

"I had not gotten to the third benefit yet." He said. Valerie snorted and slid the ring onto her finger, a smile splitting her face. She looked back at him, reaching out to grab his hand and holding it tightly in hers.

"Shoulda led with that." She whispered, voice hoarse again and a glimmer of tears in her eyes. Goro swallowed and placed his other hand over their interlocked fingers, the smouldering embers that had remained burning in his heart flaring to life.  
Valerie cleared her throat and shook her head, seeming to gather her thoughts.

"Are you sure about this? After all, I'm just a two-bit thief." She whispered, a sardonic smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Goro shook his head, squeezing her fingers.

"A thief no longer, and...I could not let you go." He said, echoing their shouted conversation all those years ago. Valerie pressed her lips together and she nodded, a laugh caught in her throat.

"...I know the feeling." She whispered. They held each others hands in the cold white room for a few quiet seconds, Goro reveling in the feeling of just being with Valerie again. But there was more to be discussed, and he only had a limited time.

"There will be...complications." He said, voice low. Valerie let out a sigh and nodded, jerking her head towards the intercom.

"I know - doc said I got at least a few more weeks before my immune system's totally up to snuff." She wrinkled her nose.

"Still got more tests they gotta do too." She muttered darkly. Goro nodded and let go of Valerie's hand to rub his palms together.

"Yes - but there is more, your...status as a-"

"Clone?" Valerie interjected, her mouth tight. Goro winced but forced himself to continue, knowing how this would go over and hating the next words that were going to come out of his mouth.

"An Arasaka...product...will make the next steps difficult." He said quietly. Valerie clenched her jaw and looked away, her hands curling into fists. She reached up and brushed her hair from the nape of her neck, showing the Arasaka logo implanted in her skin at the base of her skull.

"Yeah…thought that might be the fuckin' case." She whispered, voice heavy and bitter, the tendons in her knuckles jumping as she squeezed her fist. Goro lowered his eyes to the floor and said nothing for a moment, knowing there were no words he could say to make her feel better. The silence stretched between them and Goro kept his eyes on the floor; he'd known that there would be conditions, that Arasaka-sama would not pour money and time into something just to make him happy. It stung horribly, having to break such news, but it was better he told Valerie himself. She deserved the truth, needed to know what obstacles would be ahead of her, ahead of them. 

"Goro?" He looked up, meeting Valerie's eyes. She had turned back to him, fists clenched and a look of such cold anger on her face it chilled him. Never had he seen such rage.

"Don't you ever fucking call me that again." She hissed, something raw and dangerous in her eyes, anger and pain warring for dominance as her lip curled.

"Ever." 

Goro held her furious gaze.

"Never again." He said harshly, his own pain at being forced to say such a thing bleeding out into his voice. It was the truth, but neither of them had to like it. Valerie shot a look of such venom towards the intercom Goro was surprised it didn't explode and then closed her eyes, slowly uncurling her fists as she let out a long breath. She opened her eyes again and looked down at her left hand, tilting her fingers so the ring caught the light.

"...worth it." She said quietly. Goro sucked in a breath and steadied himself to continue but there was a buzz from the intercom.

"Takemura-San, time is up." The doctor said. Goro looked at the box with disgust before taking Valerie's hand once again.

"I must go, but think to the future, Valerie. Think of cherry blossoms and umeboshi plums, and I will see you soon." He wanted desperately to take her with him now, to pull her free from the wires and monitors and leave this place behind. But he could not, so he pressed a kiss to her knuckles again and stood to leave, the image of an Arasaka logo stamped into her skin burning clear in his mind as the door swished closed behind him.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the nice comments, it means so much that people take time out of their day to leave a note!!

Three more weeks, three weeks that somehow seemed to drag longer than the years. Every day he received progress reports, updates on Valerie's condition. He wasn't supposed to be privy to such information; she was still considered a top secret project. Goro had pulled on the last strings he held over Anders Hellman to be able to receive the updates and he was sure the man would never speak to him again. Not that Goro counted that as a loss. Three weeks. The waiting was worse now that he had seen her again, spoken to her. 

It was late evening, and Goro sat at his desk at home, folding a loose piece of paper into a crane. 

It was a meditative process, each turn of the paper, each careful fold. The precision needed to turn a simple piece of paper into a sculpture was something he had worked hard to acquire. His grandmother had first taught him how to make origami when he was small, when gunshots and screams outside their window had kept him awake through the night. He clearly remembered her wrinkled hands, patiently showing and repeating the folds in the shivering light of their broken ceiling lamp. She had told him stories as he'd practiced, fanciful tales of kitsune and kappa, that seemed to come to life in the shadows dancing on the walls. 

Origami had brought him peace ever since, and he had amassed quite a collection over the past two years. The little figures were all made of plain paper, as he did not care for flashy patterns or bright colors. They stood in neat rows along the wall behind his desk, perched on the simple shelves near the bed, placed in gaps between books in the book shelf; a few were even tucked next to the knife block in the kitchen. Goro dragged his thumbnail along the final fold in the crane, creating a crisp crease. He held it up, turning it between his fingers and examining it critically. The beak was a hair too far to the right, and he tweaked it carefully before setting it down next to a flower by the lamp, tilting the tip of the wings so they cast a graceful shadow across the long wooden desk. He sighed and sat back in his chair, the leather creaking with the motion. He clasped his hands together and rubbed his palms, looking over his little paper army.

He should really get rid of some of them, it was beginning to look like he had some sort of obsession. But the little paper figures brought him some comfort, so he did not sweep any into the trash as he went to check his computer once more before going to bed. Goro tapped the messages panel open, scrolling through a few reports from other security personnel, removing a spam email for penis enhancement that somehow always made its way into his inbox, no matter how often he ran the virus protection software. 

No news.

Sighing through his nose, Goro slid his finger to close the message tab when there was a soft ping and a new email popped up. It was from Hellman, and Goro opened it with a slightly too forceful tap on the screen. The text shivered for a second and Goro cursed before the words settled and he could read clearly.

"Patient has been cleared, will be released tomorrow.

Never contact me again.

-H." 

Goro let out a long breath and squeezed his eyes shut in relief. The waiting was finally over. He sat back in his chair again and laughed out loud, the sound bright and cheerful in his quiet apartment. Goro let the feelings of joy and relief wash over him for several minutes, the ever present knots in his shoulders loosening as he smiled at the message. The expression turned mischievous as he leaned forward to type.

Hellman had specifically requested he not contact him again, so of course Goro had to reply. 

"Understood.

Let me know if you are ever thirsty."

He hit send with a deep sense of satisfaction. The message would mean nothing to anyone reading Hellman's correspondence, but Goro was sure the man would understand. Being waterboarded was something one tended to remember. Chuckling to himself, Goro stood and looked around his office. The room was mostly empty, other than the desk and chair he had just been using, there was a bookshelf and nothing else. The wooden floors were spotless. The walls were plain, cream except the one behind his desk, which was painted a deep blue. He walked to the bookshelf, intending to dust or move a few books around just to do something with his hands. He met the empty gaze of an origami fox as he went to shuffle some books around, paused, and then picked it up, turning it around in his hands. 

"...the fox sneaks into the coop with its own tail between its teeth." Goro said quietly, a smile curving his lips as he bent the paper tail so it curled around to the mouth. He set the paper fox back on the shelf and picked up the piece of origami next to it; a grimacing Oni mask. Goro looked at it for a long moment, his smile fading.

The Oni's fierce expression always reminded him of his apprentice; the permanent scowl and furrowed brow, always visible even if half his face was hidden behind that ridiculous curtain of hair. Oda had not spoken to him beyond what was required since they had stormed Arasaka tower two years ago. Goro regretted their distance deeply. The young man was his friend, and as close to family as he had left; akin to a nephew, and it pained him to know that his actions had severed their ties. He put the Oni back with a soft sigh and pushed a few books here and there until it became clear that this wasn't going to get rid of the nervous energy that was flowing through him.

Goro turned off the lamp in his office and walked down the dark hallway to another door, opening it and flicking on the light to reveal a small but well equipped gym. He was still dressed for the day, and he carefully hung his jacket up in the closet before undoing his cufflinks and rolling up his sleeves. Goro removed the pin from his collar, tucking it into his pocket as he approached the punching bag. Inhaling deeply, he leaned his weight onto his back foot. Letting out the breath in a controlled exhale, Goro curled his hands into fists and settled into a ready stance, eyeing the punching bag as he decided where to strike it first. He hit the bag in the middle with such force it bent nearly in half; the heavy chains securing it to the beams of the ceiling groaning horribly as the bag rocked back from the blow. He struck it again, the heavy bag bending to accept the punishment.

Goro spent an hour venting his energy into the punching bag, thoughts empty of Oda, of Valerie, of anything other than the next blow. By the end of it, the back of his shirt was soaked through and he was breathing hard. Goro held his hand out to catch the bag as it swung, steadying it as he wiped sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. He had perhaps gone a little overboard; there were small piles of plaster dust all over the floor where the chain had cracked through the ceiling as it swung. Despite the mess he had made, he did feel better, physical excersize always cleared his head. Exhaling deeply through his nose, adrenaline ebbing, Goro left the bag and went to grab a broom.

After showering and changing into the loose pants he slept in, Goro sat at his computer again. There were still things he needed to do now that Valerie was set to be released. He had connected a tablet to his computer and was downloading the paperwork that would finalize their marriage. He watched the red bar on the screen fill, rubbing his palms together.

Goro was impulsive by nature. He listened to his gut instincts; they had always served him well, and while the initial idea to ask Valerie to be his wife had been impulsive, the planning that had gone into it was not. The device beeped to let him know the download was finished, and he disconnected the tablet, sitting back in his chair to read the contract over again.

He had contacted a lawyer by the name of Hajime a year ago and explained the unusual circumstances. Hajime had served with him in the Arasaka corporate army, and while Goro had gone on to serve as Arasaka-sama's personal bodyguard, Hajime found his talents lay elsewhere. Through the use of some clever paperwork and legalese, he had managed to disentangle himself from Arasaka and start his own law firm. It was that kind of legal knowledge and outright cleverness that Goro had needed to pull this off. 

The man hadn't refused him; Goro had saved his life twice during a skirmish, and Hajime had declared he was in his debt forever. But he had still been floored when Goro explained exactly what he needed.

"She signed away all her rights? All of them?" Hajime had asked in disbelief, looking at him over the pair of glasses perched on his nose. They were for effect only; all Arasaka corporate soldiers had implants that gave them perfect vision. Goro nodded slowly, looking back at Hajime from his position near the window. 

He had refused to sit down, instead doing a thorough sweep of the room to ensure that they were not being observed, checking under the desk and lamp and scanning the net for any sign of intruders.  
Only when he was satisfied that no one was listening did he stop his pacing and cross his arms. Hajime had waited patiently; he understood.

"Yes - it was a requirement for the Secure your Soul program." Goro said. Hajime sighed and pushed his glasses up to rub at his eyes.

"You understand how difficult that makes things, yes? I may as well be writing a contract for you to marry this lamp." He jerked his thumb to the elegant light perched on his desk. Goro scowled, not at all liking the comparison.

"Can you do it?" 

Hajime sighed again and looked back at his tablet, drumming his fingers on his desk.

"Of course I can. But it will take time." He said and Goro nodded again. Time was something he had plenty of. Hajime looked at him for a long moment and then shook his head.

"I will do this for you, but consider my debt paid." He said firmly and Goro inclined his head in agreement; he had no regrets.

Now, with the contract in his hands, he still had no regrets, but he was a little apprehensive. He scrolled through it, eyes flicking over the pages and pages of complex legal jargon, the intricate web of words that would give Valerie some control over her life back, and let him step in if he needed to. He got to the end of the contract and stared at the three blank spaces that awaited signatures. His, Valerie's, and Arasaka-samas.

The whole thing hinged on the fact that Arasaka-sama was an engram himself. If his master declined the contract, he was admitting that his status as a copy of a consciousness made him less than human, and thus, had no rights. Goro swallowed and bit his lip. This was a very dangerous line he had decided to cross. It could be seen as taking a step against Araska, against his master, and could easily result in him losing his position at the very least. He could very well lose his life, or worse yet, lose Valerie. Goro scrolled through the contract again, doing his best to gain a proper understanding of the wording in case he needed to defend his position. When he was satisfied that he understood as much as he was able, Goro shut off the tablet and stood from his chair, glancing at the clock on the desk. It was quite late.

This would either work, or it wouldn't, and losing sleep would do nothing to help him in the long run. He shut off the light and left the office, crossing the hall into his bedroom and climbing into bed. Pushing the pillow into a more comfortable shape, Goro laid his head down.The lights of an AV passing above the building flickered through the window, the origami figures on the shelf casting long shadows on the wall as he closed his eyes and fell asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning dawned and Goro was already awake. He usually rose before the sun, sleeping late accomplished very little and he was determined to use as much of the day as was available to him. His routine was the same every morning; a simple breakfast of eggs and tea, a thorough series of stretches and light cardio before showering and dressing for the day. Standing in front of the mirror, Goro pinned the collar of his black shirt closed, smoothing his jacket sleeves and tugging the lapels straight. He picked the tablet up from where he had left it the night before and tucked it into an inner pocket of his jacket, feeling it settle against his chest. 

The weight in his pocket was in the back of his mind the whole morning, seeming to grow heavier with each passing hour. Arasaka-sama held three meetings, took two conference calls, and thoroughly frightened a Millitech rep before dismissing the rest of his staff and taking lunch. His master ate his meals at the same time everyday, and while the food was always different, the routine never changed.

Arasaka-sama's personal chef delivered whatever was to be his meal that day on a simple white plate made from the finest bone china, the ceramic so thin you could see the light through it; Arasaka-sama ate with a pair of chopsticks that dated back to the Meiji-era. The chef would bow, set the plate on the desk, back down the stairs, bow again, and then leave through the staff elevator. Today was no different, the chef's perfectly starched shirt creasing at the waist as she bowed before exiting the room. Arasaka-sama said his thanks before picking up the chopsticks that were worth more than Goro's entire existence and delicately selected a pickled plum from the plate. He ate slowly, savoring the flavors of his meal. Goro stood impassively in place behind and a little to the left of Arasaka-sama's high-backed chair, his hands folded in front of him. The tablet hung heavy in his pocket, but it would be beyond foolhardy to interrupt his master during his meal. 

So Goro waited.

With a sigh of satisfaction, Arasaka-sama set his chopsticks down and pushed the now empty plate away, wiping his mouth with a silk napkin before placing it on the desk. He took a drink of water, two, before setting the crystal glass down and steepling his fingers.

"Takemura." He said suddenly, and Goro bowed.

"Yes, Arasaka-sama?" 

"Whatever it is that you have for me, I will look at it now." He held out one hand without looking at him, seemingly more interested in his glass of water than the conversation. Goro removed the tablet from his pocket and handed it over. He was not surprised that Arasaka-sama had known he wanted something. The CEO of Arasaka Corporation was an expert at reading body language; a skill he had perfected in his advanced age and used to his advantage. Goro held perfectly still as his master swiped his finger across the tablet screen, the light from it catching on Yorinobu's glasses. 

Goro could not make out his expression from this angle, but he could see Arasaka-samas finger slow as he read, and then re-read the contract. 

Goro's heart was in his throat. 

Had he stepped too far? 

The silence stretched like a thread tugged to its breaking point, and Goro focused on keeping his breathing steady and calm. Finally, Arasaka-sama set the tablet on the desk.

"This is very thorough." He said, no discernable emotion in his voice. Goro did not respond, knowing if his master had wanted his input, he would have asked.  
A few more seconds passed, and Goro kept his focus on his breathing, feeling a bead of sweat roll down the side of his face.

Slowly, Arasaka-sama pressed his index finger to the tablet, leaving his mark in the place left empty for his signature. He picked the tablet up and held it out to the side, glancing over his shoulder, the glare from the afternoon sun glinting on Yorinobu's glasses. His expression was unreadable. 

"Well played, Takemura - I hope this brings you joy." Arasaka-sama said, and Goro carefully took the tablet back, bowing low before sliding it back into his pocket.

"You are most generous, Arasaka-sama. I thank you." He said and bowed again, feeling like he had just dodged a hundred bullets.

The rest of the day passed like any other, Arasaka-sama met with several representatives from varying companies, listening to their pleas and dispelling their arguments with his typical strength and poise. Since taking over his son's body, Arasaka-sama was more energized than Goro had ever seen him in the twenty years he had served as his bodyguard. He spoke with the same conviction, but the strength in his hands now matched that in his voice and the effect was polarizing; those who came to speak to his master left with either a head held high or shoulders slumped in defeat. Or, as in one poor fools case, thrown bodily from the room. 

"Takemura - remove this worm from my sight." Arasaka-sama waved his hand in annoyance and Goro stepped forward, grabbing the person by the collar and hem of their jacket, lifting them easily off their feet and pushing the door open with his elbow before throwing them like a bag of refuse out into the foyer. 

Evening fell and Arasaka-sama pushed his chair back from the desk, standing with a contented sigh. He moved a few things on his desk until it was arranged to his satisfaction then closed the button on his suit jacket, smoothing it perfectly straight. 

"I will be having dinner with my daughter this evening Takemura, you are dismissed." Arasaka-sama said, striding towards his personal elevator, hidden in the far wall. Goro bowed but did not turn to leave yet; there was something in his master's voice that indicated there was more. Arasaka-sama entered the elevator and paused before pressing the down button, meeting his gaze from across the room.

"Take the next two days off, consider it a wedding gift," he began and Goro blinked in total surprise. His master pressed the button and folded his hands in front of him, eyes burning like coals.

"And Takemura?"

The spacious office seemed to grow smaller, narrower, tightening until all he could see were the burning eyes of Saburo Arasaka.

"Anything I give, I can take away."

The elevator doors shut. 

Goro felt the words like a blow to the chest as he stood there in the empty office, heart pounding in his ears. The meaning of his master's words had not been lost on him and Goro rubbed his palms together, entirely shaken by the trajectory of the conversation. Two days off, more free time than he'd had in years, a thoroughly generous gift; wrapped in a thinly veiled threat. Goro swallowed, feeling the modifications in his throat flex with the motion. He would have to be very, very careful from now on, probably for the rest of his life, and he pulled the tablet from his pocket with a shaking hand. He touched his index finger to the empty space for his signature, leaving a faintly glowing imprint on the screen.

It was worth it.

The medical building was on the other side of the Arasaka compex. While Arasaka tower in Night City had been monumental, the corporate headquarters in Tokyo was more like a small town, covering at least eight square blocks of Japan's capital city. The sleek black buildings varied in height and use, but each was designed in accordance with Japanese tradition; standing as a stark reminder of Arasaka values. Goro crossed the graceful gardens in the center of the complex with a purposeful stride, nodding occasionally to other security personnel or staff who knew him as he passed. He wove through a group of employees heading home for the day, each person stepping hurriedly out of his way as they recognized who he was, clutching briefcases or bags closer and murmuring apologizes as they moved. 

The medical building was as black as the rest of the complex, but the shortest building by far. Goro knew that there were many floors that were below ground, so the building's squat appearance was misleading. He reached the smoked glass door and was about to pull the ebony handle when it opened from the other side. Stepping back to let the other person exit, Goro felt a little stab of pain as Oda walked through the open doorway. They made eye contact and Goro inclined his head in greeting.

"Oda, it is good to see you." He said, hoping that perhaps his apprentice was on his way to forgiving him. Oda flicked his gaze away, the corners of his mouth turning down even farther. He bowed stiffly.

"Takemura-san." He said, voice tight and angry. Goro felt another stab of pain. No forgiveness then. Oda straightened and shook his hair from his eyes, his shoulders tight. Goro nodded, his mouth set into a thin line of disappointment. 

"Have a good day, my friend." He said and Oda turned his back to him, walking away, his anger clear in the way he held his arms stiffly at his sides. Goro watched him go with a deep sense of sadness. The feeling didn't leave him as he entered the medical building and got on the elevator. The ride down was a long one, and Goro spent the time wondering what, if anything, he could do to repair his and Oda's relationship.

No solution came to him, and the doors opened to the sterile white hallway of the secure medical wing. A nurse in white scrubs looked up and bowed as he approached the curved desk. 

"Takemura-San, what can I do for you today?" She asked politely. Goro nodded in return and folded his hands in front of him.

"I am here to pick up Valerie Thierry." He said and the nurse raised an eyebrow. She tapped on her computer for a second, and her other eyebrow went up to join its twin.

"Very well, everything is in order. Third door on your left, Takemura-San." She bowed again, sweeping her arm out to indicate the hallway behind the desk. Goro nodded his thanks and turned on his heel to walk the short distance down the hall. He stopped in front of the room the nurse had indicated, the pure white door beckoning him. 

This was it, two years and three weeks of waiting and planning and hoping. 

He took a deep breath, touching the tablet in his pocket before raising his hand and knocking four times on the door. It opened instantly, and Valerie was grinning at him.

She looked healthier than the last time he had seen her, the colour back in her cheeks, brown eyes alight, the ring on her finger glinting in the light of the hallway.

"Goro!" She exclaimed, happiness beaming off of her, brighter than any of the lights in the hall. A wide smile pulled its way across his face and all thoughts of Oda, of Arasaka-sama's threats, were pushed from his mind.

"Jesus am I glad to see you! C'mon in, ain't much, but it's better than that fucking lab." Valerie said, grabbing his hand and pulling him into the room, the door closing behind him. Goro followed, feeling lighter on his feet than he had in years. Valerie turned to face him after the door was shut, her fingers tangled in his. She seemed about to say something, shook her head, and then pulled him into a hug. She buried her face in his chest, arms circling his back to squeeze so tight he couldn't take a proper breath. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her closer still, tilting his chin down to rest his face on top of her head. Her hair smelled clinical, of soap and medicine and it didn't suit her.

"Fuckin' Christ, I missed you." She whispered, the words choked and muffled in the fabric of his shirt. Goro reached up and held the back of her head, twining his fingers into her too-long hair. He kissed the top of her head.

"And I you." He said thickly, breath rustling her hair. Valerie sniffed and somehow squeezed tighter, her breathing hitched and uneven as her fingers dug into his jacket. They held each other for a few moments, Goro feeling as if all was finally right in the world. Valerie sniffed again and released her hold enough to be able to lean back and look at him, face slightly streaked with tears.

"How have you been?" She asked, rubbing her cheek on her shoulder. Goro smiled and touched her face, wiping the remnants of tears away with his thumb. He had been so shocked the first time she had asked that, suspicious as to what her ulterior motives had been. No one just asked how he was. Hearing her say it now was like coming home.

"I have been well, but very busy." He said honestly, looking down into her eyes. He brushed his thumb over her cheek again and she leaned into the touch, sighing.

"Good." She said, and her mouth curled into a smirk.

"God you should have heard the doctors after your last visit - they were pissed." She gave him another squeeze before loosening her grip and entangling her fingers with his again. Goro chuckled and let her lead him across the small room, to a chair next to the bed. She fell onto the bed with a contented sigh and beamed at him as he sat in the chair. 

"So? Am I free of this white prison?" She asked, gesturing to the sterile walls. Goro nodded, a broad smile on his face. He removed the tablet from his pocket, handing it to her in a much happier parody of their conversation in Mikoshi so long ago. 

"Yes. They did not keep you exclusively in this room I hope." He said as Valerie took the tablet and tapped the screen. She shook her head, glancing up at him before she began to read.

"Nah, let me out to exercise, and for tests of course - what is this?" She asked, pointing at the tablet.

"A marriage contract. Read it carefully before you sign." He said, folding his hands together and nodding towards it. Valerie crossed her legs on the bed and set the tablet down in her lap, looking at him frankly.

"Are you positive you want this?" She asked after a long moment, her eyes searching his face. Goro blinked in surprise, but Valerie continued.

"Cause once I sign this, you are never, ever getting rid of me. You know that, right?" She asked, a hint of a smile on her face but a serious edge to her gaze. Goro did not break eye contact and raised his eyebrow.

"Valerie - I tarnished my online shopping record with the purchase of a Crazy Thuggz tanktop; what about that action suggests I am not, as you Americans would say, in this for the long haul." He said, and Valerie laughed. She pulled up the hem of her scrubs to show a glimpse of the hideous design on the shirt underneath.

"Valid point - where the fuck do I sign." She scrolled to the bottom of the contract, paused, scrolled back to the top and began to read. Her eyes widened and she shot him a look before refocusing on the words. Her eyebrows knitted together and her lips moved as she read. She sat back after a moment and let out a short sharp breath.

"I cannot believe you got Saburo to sign this." She said quietly, 

"This's...wow. You've got one helluva lawyer in your corner." She shook her head, and then without any hesitation, pressed her index finger to the tablet.

"Boom." She whispered, a broad smile curving her mouth as she handed the tablet back.

"You know you're like, way outta my league, right? My mom would be losing her shit if she were here - God, I can hear her now," Valerie straightened her back, pursing her lips and making a face as if there was something that smelled horrible right under her nose.

"Valerie- what did you do to zis poor man; 'e is far too good for ze likes of you!" She said in a heavy French accent, mouth twisting into a frown. Goro snorted and shook his head, sending the contract along with a message of thanks to Hajime so it would be properly filed. 

That was it.  
They were married.  
She was his and he was hers and all the time and effort and waiting was over.  
Finally.

Goro let out a long sigh, a wave of peace and happiness washing over him. He chuckled and looked at her, knowing his expression was that of the happiest man in the world.

"I would have been glad to prove her wrong. But - let us not waste any more time." He put the tablet away and held out his hand to Valerie, she took it instantly, squeezing his palm as he pulled her from the bed.

"I promised to show you Japan did I not? We had better get started."


	9. Chapter 9

They garnered a few stares on their walk across through the complex to the parking garage, and Goro was sure it had more to do with the smile on his face than the medical scrubs Valerie still wore. All her belongings had been thrown away after she had been archived, so she had nothing else to leave in. The stares did not bother him; he was happy, and he did not care who knew. The elevator to the parking garage was nearly full as he and Valerie got on, squeezing in with a group of middle managers and other pencil pushers. They all murmured polite greetings to him and he inclined his head in response, folding his hands in front of him as the elevator doors closed. Valerie looked over her shoulder and then back to him. She said nothing, but her expression was a cross between amused and impressed. The elevator began to descend and Valerie shifted next to him, bumping her elbow against his. 

They spilled out into the garage, several of the people on the elevator bowing slightly to him before moving on their way. Valerie watched these little interactions with interest, her eyebrow raised and a smirk curling her lip.

"Damn, well aren't you mister popular." She said as they approached his car. Goro shook his head as he unlocked the doors.

"That is not popularity - that is respect." He said, sitting down in the driver's seat. Valerie slid in next to him, looking back out the window at the retreating figures.

"Huh, well, aren't you mister respected then." She said with a grin. Goro did not reply, starting up the car and turning down the radio, quieting the jazz filtering through the speakers. He put the car into gear but stopped short of backing out when he caught the look on Valerie's face.

"What?" He said, knowing he was going to regret asking the question as soon as he opened his mouth.

"Aren't you gonna...buckle up?"

"Get out of my car." 

Valerie burst into laughter.

The drive to his apartment had never felt shorter. They spoke easily on the way there, Valerie resting her hand on his leg while he drove. She rubbed her thumb in little circles on his thigh; the touch was electric, shooting up from her fingers right to his heart as they talked about nothing. The conversation lapsed as they rode the elevator up from the parking garage to his floor, but it was a warm silence, punctuated by Valerie sliding her hand into his as they waited. The door slid open and they walked into the foyer, Goro placing his palm on the scanner next to his door. Valerie was looking around, eyebrows raised, at the high ceilings and tasteful decor. She let out a low whistle.

"Fancy digs - no wonder you hated my apartment so much." She said. Goro opened the door and let her go inside first.

"I did not hate your apartment, it was simply a disaster." He said, turning on the light in the hall. Valerie looked around again, at the plain walls and spotless floors.

"Compared to this place, Konpeki Plaza looked like a disaster; you even live here?" She said, slipping out of the white shoes from the medical center before stepping up into the hallway proper. Goro sighed and undid the laces of his own shoes, tucking them neatly into their place.

"I am not home much." He replied, leading her further into his apartment. She followed behind, looking around with interest.

"Yeah I can tell." 

Goro gave Valerie a short tour, her eyebrows rising higher and higher as he pointed out the guest room and the gym, finally reaching their peak when he opened the door to his office. The door swung inward and the light from the hall spilled in, pouring across the floor and splashing against the far wall, hundreds of tiny shadows stretching to the ceiling.

There was a pause.

"You uh, like origami huh."Valerie said, eyeing the rows and rows of little paper figures on the desk.

"It is...a hobby." He said, feeling a pang of embarrassment as Valerie padded across the wooden floor in her socks, looking at the origami army with interest. She leaned down to examine a few, resting her hands on her knees. 

"Can I-" she pointed to a paper crane and Goro nodded, unsure of what her reaction would unfold to be. Valerie picked up the crane carefully, turning it over in her fingers like it was made of glass.

"Wow...these're gorgeous Goro...you made all of these?" She asked, thoroughly entranced. 

"Yes." Goro replied, pleased that she seemed to like them. He watched her put the crane back in its place and pick up the flower next to it, gently running her thumb over the petals. She set the flower back down and turned to smile at him, looking utterly charmed. Her eyes caught on the bookshelf and she straightened up to look at the origami between the books. Valerie let out a breathless little laugh as she spotted the fox with the tail in its mouth. She picked it up and held it gently, looking down at it with a delighted expression. 

"Oh I love this guy," she balanced the fox on her palm, touching the tip of its nose with one finger.

"You know, I actually thought that code was pretty cool…how'd you come up with it?" She asked, setting the fox gently back in its place. Goro raised an eyebrow. Cool? He had been absolutely incensed when she'd turned his carefully crafted code into a lewd innuendo and had abandoned it shortly after. Thinking back on it now, leaving the code behind had more to do with the burgeoning trust between them than his temper. 

"It seemed appropriate to not speak plainly." He said. 

"You have a strange way of showing you think something is, 'cool.'" He added dryly. Valerie looked a bit sheepish and she rubbed the back of her neck.

"Ah yeah, nah that was just me bein' an asshole, sorry." She said with an almost shy smile. Goro shook his head and gestured for her to come out of the room so he could finish the tour. 

"Apologies are unnecessary; that was a long time ago." He said as she slid past him and he closed the door. Valerie looked down and let out a sigh.

"Yeah...I guess it was," she paused, looking thoughtful.

"I know it's been years, but, for me, it only feels like weeks…" She began, spinning the ring on her finger.

"...time doesn't work the same when you're, you know, not, not -" Goro cut her off, knowing that she was about to say "not human." He refused to let the words come out of her mouth.

"- not fully present." He finished and the look on her face was something akin to grateful as she nodded. 

"Yeah...it was like I fell asleep in one white lab and woke up in another one the next morning." She said quietly, her expression drawn. Valerie seemed lost in herself for a moment, eyes unfocused and then she shook her head and cleared her throat. 

"Hey, uh, can I use your shower? I am sick of smellin' like a hospital." She asked, clearly intent on changing the subject. Goro nodded, gently touching her shoulder. He was curious to hear more about her experience but he would not press for details until she was ready.

"Of course, this way." 

He led her to the bedroom, and he saw her smile as she caught sight of more origami figures on the shelves by the bed. Gesturing to a pair of double doors across the room, Goro touched her shoulder again.

"Towels are in the cabinet, take as long as you require." He said and she smiled. Valerie took another look around the room before heading to the doors and sliding then open. She disappeared into the bathroom and Goro took a long breath, staring at the doors with a strange feeling of apprehension. Images of the last time she'd been in a shower when he was with her slid into his mind. 

The cold water.   
Her face empty except for Silverhand's spiteful stare.  
Freezing fingers slapping his away.  
Cigarette smoke and fury. 

Goro shook his head and turned away; Silverhand was gone, and she would come back through those doors whole and warm and his.

Valerie was in the shower for a long time, and Goro took the opportunity to send some emails and set things in order before his very unexpected and very welcome vacation began. He was in the middle of typing up instructions to the security staff when he heard the sound of Valerie's bare feet on the wooden floor. He glanced up to see her standing in the doorway, face still flushed from the heat of the shower and wrapped in a towel. She smiled at him, and Goro smiled back; happy to see her looking so relaxed. She crossed the room and came to stand next to him, leaning on the back of the chair so her fingers brushed against his shoulder.

"Whatcha working on?" She asked.

"Instructions - I have been given the next two days off." He said. Valerie ran her fingers along his shoulder.

"Really? I can't believe it; that's incredible." She said, sounding very pleased. He nodded and continued to type. He could barely believe it either. Valerie slid her fingers over the collar of his jacket and up his neck, nails grazing the shaved section at the back of his hair. Goro's typing slowed and he turned his head slightly to lean into her touch. Valerie leaned slightly forward over the back of the chair.

"Are you done?" She whispered, breath tickling his ear. Goro shivered as she pressed a kiss to the skin under his ear; the only part of his neck not composed of cybernetic replacements. He closed his eyes as he felt her do it again, tilting his head slightly, her nails scraping against his scalp.

"It will take me longer if you continue to distract me." He said, not minding in the slightest. She made a little noise of affirmation but didn't stop, moving her hands to rub his shoulders and pressing another kiss to his neck before sliding her tongue along the shell of his ear. Goro felt the sensation pour all the way down his spine, desire pooling hot in his gut as her thumbs worked into the knots in his shoulders. He gamely continued to type, only realizing he'd written utter nonsense when the spell check function underlined everything in red. Deleting the string of gibberish, Goro tried again; focusing hard past the delicious sensation of Valerie's lips on his ear. He shivered again and finished the email with a more perfunctory tone than initially intended, sending it off with a quick tap of his finger. 

"There - I am finished." He said, words catching slightly as Valerie slid her hand over his shoulder to undo the pin on his collar, flipping it open and running her fingers down his chest. Her touch left trails of fire over his bare skin. Valerie released her hold on him and turned the chair around to face her, a grin on her face. 

"Not yet you aren't." She said, her eyes glinting. His mouth curled into a smile at the double meaning and he reached out to pull her closer but she stepped back, smiling.

"You're officially on vacation - lemme take care of you a little bit." She said, dropping the towel to the floor. Goro leaned back in his chair, looking at her naked body with hunger in his eyes. He took his time, his gaze sliding over the curves of her hips, up along her waist, lingering over her full breasts before settling on her face; each second he spent looking adding to his mounting desire. 

"Like what you see?" she asked slyly.  
Goro raised his chin as he looked at her, knowing she was watching the way his eyes traced her form; wanting her to see it.

"Very much." He said. 

She crossed the short distance between them and Goro reached out to grip her by the waist, eagerly tugging her closer.   
Valerie pulled one of his hands free, guiding his fingers along her bare skin; up along her breast to her neck, letting his finger tips glide over her throat before moving them up to her lips. She slid his index finger into her mouth and sucked on it, eyes never leaving his as her tongue traced the underside of his knuckles. 

Goro let out a soft groan at the contact, gripping her tightly with his other hand and tugging her even closer. Her knees bumped against his and she pulled his finger from his mouth with a soft popping sound, letting go of his hand to lean down and kiss him. Goro closed his eyes and sighed through his nose, her lips soft and pliable against his. He reached up to cup her chin, tilting his head to deepen the kiss as Valerie unbuttoned his shirt, pushing it away from his chest and dragging her nails down his bare skin before fiddling with his belt. Goro leaned forward into the touch, sliding his tongue between her lips as she undid the belt, loosing the red fabric before tugging it free from the belt loops.

She pulled away from his lips only to press a kiss to his chest, just under the cybernetics that ended at his sternum. Goro ran his hand along her back as she knelt in front of him, drawing a line down her spine. Valerie kissed her way down his chest, tongue tracing a scar near his hip bone before she pulled his erection free and kissed the tip. He was about to suggest they move to the bedroom when she took him in her mouth. 

Oral sex had never been his favorite; Goro preferred to be the one in charge, and he liked to be able to kiss his partner. But as Valerie worked her mouth along his length, her fingers sliding along after, he thought he might just change his mind. Goro leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes and running his hands along Valerie's back; a quiet groan slipping from his lips as she squeezed her fingers and slid her tongue along the sensitive underside of his member. Goro swore, his toes curling in his socks with each stroke of her tongue, each squeeze of her fingers. He buried his fingers in her hair, shifting his hips to give her better access, breath catching in a moan. She did something with her fingers that sent a lightning bolt of pleasure right through him and Goro's head fell back against the chair. He groaned out a string of words that were supposed to be in English but he had forgotten how to speak it; words of praise and pleasure slurred by his panting breaths. Yes, he had changed his mind. He felt her throat tighten around him and his legs twitched reflexively, his hips bucking of their own accord as Valerie's head bobbed. Goro was seeing stars; he pulled her hair and she increased her pace in response, a choked and muffled moan escaping her as he pushed on the back of her head, pressing her mouth flush against him.

The little sound was his undoing and he came with a deep, shuddering groan; his fingers digging into Valerie's shoulder as he felt her swallow, lights bursting behind his eyelids. Valerie pulled back, panting, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand and looking at him with an immeasurable depth of devotion in her eyes. Head swimming, Goro reached down and pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his arm around her waist and kissing her deeply, heedless of the salty taste left on her tongue. 

"Now you're finished." She said, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth as she rested her forehead against his. 

"Mhm...for now." Goro replied, running his hand along her side, his breathing slowly settling back to normal. He had every intention of taking her to the bedroom and starting to make up for lost time, but he needed a moment to recover. Valerie smiled and reached up to touch the side of his face, thumb tracing over the scar on his cheekbone. Goro leaned into the contact, relishing the fact that they were here, together; after everything they had been through. Valerie seemed to read his thoughts, her expression soft as she looked into his eyes.

"Can you believe it? All the shit that went down, and despite it all - here we are." She said quietly, sounding as if she didn't quite believe it herself. Goro slid his other arm over her bare legs, resting his hand on the curve of her hip, running his thumb over her skin. He held her close and she let her head rest against his shoulder, hair curling against his cheek.

"...it has been a journey." He said in response, thinking back on the assualt on Arasaka tower, the parade, reconnaissance on the roof, dragging her out of a trashpile, and all the moments in between. Valerie nodded, tracing her fingers along the edge of the cybernetics in his chest.

"You know the first thing I thought when I saw you?" She murmured.

"At the diner?"

"No - through that smart glass in that hotel room," she said, and he could hear the smile in her voice as she continued,

"I saw you and thought, damn, that man could snap my neck and I'd thank him."   
Goro let out a surprised laugh, tilting his head to see if she was joking. The look on her face told him she was entirely serious.

"I indeed would have." He said just as seriously, raising an eyebrow and leaning back to get a clearer view of her face.

"I know!" She replied with a laugh. Goro shook his head.

"Millimeters from death, and that is what you thought of?" He asked in mild disbelief. Valerie lifted her head from his chest to face him, a grin curling her lips.

"What can I say - it's what you do to me." She said lightly; the devotion he had seen in her eyes before back in full force. His heart felt as if it might burst as he held her gaze; Goro touched her cheek, looking at his wife. Two years, three weeks and a day. He had never doubted that the depth of affection he felt for Valerie was reciprocated, but seeing it now, laid out so plainly on her face; he was nearly overwhelmed. Goro slid his hand around the back of her neck, pulling her into a gentle kiss. His fingers brushed over the Arasaka logo at the base of her skull and he felt her mouth twist slightly against his. She pulled back, the twist turning into a slightly bitter smile.

"...we match now." Valerie said quietly, reaching up to touch her fingers to the implants at the back of his head.   
Goro felt a sharp pang. 

They did match; both objects forever branded with a corporate logo. 

He had been marked in such a way for most of his life, but until this exact moment, he had never thought of it like that. 

The thought did not sit well with him.   
It was entirely at odds with his oath, his honor, his sense of purpose. A creeping sense of disquiet began to dig its way into his heart and he glanced down, gently pulling Valerie's hands away. 

"I promised to show you real food did I not?" He said to change the subject, gently nudging her to stand. Valerie slid off his lap, and it was clear from her expression that she could tell something was amiss, her eyes flicking over his face. But she said nothing about it and Goro was thankful; he did not want to think about anything other than the next two days and how they would spend them.

"There is a yakitori stand I am fond of close by." He said, adjusting his clothes before standing himself. Valerie gestured to her naked body with a smirk.

"Should I get dressed?" She asked and Goro dragged his eyes over her as he buttoned his shirt, reevaluating if he wanted to eat or if he would rather pull her into the bedroom and not leave until his time off was over.

"Perhaps; we will not make it out of the house otherwise." He said after a long deliberation. Valerie laughed and bent to scoop the towel from the floor, Goro letting out a little groan at the sight. She caught the sound and raised her eyebrow at him, wiggling her hips. Goro pinned his collar closed and smoothed his sleeves before spanking her, hard. Valerie straightened up with a gasp and Goro did not miss the note of pleasure in the sound, tucking it away into the back of his mind for later, pushing his disquiet away even further. 

He was determined to enjoy the upcoming days, but the feeling was heavy in his mind as Valerie dressed, and did not fully leave as he locked the apartment behind them.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the wonderful comments!!! This chapter is incredibly self indulgent as the holidays stress me out.

The yakitori stand was in a little market not far from his apartment, through a few cramped back streets and down a covered bridge. They walked slowly, having no reason to hurry, getting into a discussion on the benefits and drawbacks of various weapons as they left the building. Valerie preferred either the pure stopping power of a shotgun or the precision of a scoped pistol. Goro fell in the middle; the proper rifle could be used in just about any way, and he found that versatility to be exceedingly useful. There was a pleasant chill in the air and Goro inhaled deeply; letting the crisp evening air fill his lungs and chase away his earlier thoughts of Arasaka's impact on them both as they approached the collection of stalls.

Despite the late hour, the market was bright and bustling, full of people getting dinner or doing some evening shopping before turning in for the night. Neon signs hung over each stall, some tilted at jaunty angles, others flickering, the bulbs inside needing to be replaced; chasing away the dark of night. The whole place was humming with conversation and the noise of generators. Valerie looked around with interest, wrapping her arms around herself as she took in the sights.

"Well it's no Jig-jg street; but, I like it." She said, smiling. Goro scoffed and stepped down off the curb to lead her into the crowded market, intending on making a beeline for the yakitori stand. Hopefully there would be seats available. 

"Ji-ji street was a mess of lights and noise." 

"Jig-jig," Valerie corrected; Goro waved his hand over his shoulder.

"Whatever you wish to call it, the only acceptable place was Okada-san's pachinko parlor. This is a proper market." He said, looking back to catch her hand so they did not get separated. She still had her arms wrapped around herself and was rubbing her palms along her arms. 

"You are cold? Here." he said, pulling off his jacket to drape it around her shoulders before taking her hand. Valerie tugged the jacket closer around her and folded her other arm around her waist, following along as they wove their way through the crowd. 

"You didn't tell me how goddamn chilly it would be here!" She said, fingers held tight in his.

"Woulda worn that stupid shirt from the hospital over this otherwise." She grumbled, tugging the hem of her tank top down further. He looked at her, dressed in that hideous shirt, white scrub pants, his jacket over her shoulders and pursed his lips.

"We will have to purchase you some better clothes; you look as if you have nowhere to live." He said. Valerie wrinkled her nose at him, ducking under a string of hanging lights.

"Compared to you of course I fuckin' do; bet you don't own a piece of clothing that cost under four hundred Eddies." She said. 

"Untrue - This shirt was three hundred and fifty." He said. She was not wrong. After growing up with nothing, Goro took great pleasure in surrounding himself with fine things; he had gone out of his way to make the abandoned apartment that had been his hideout in Night City match his taste. As much as had been possible under the circumstances, anyway. Valerie snorted and shook her head, smiling. 

"Whatever happened to that coat you wore in NC? With the orange thing on it?" She asked and Goro let out a heavy sigh.

"Alas, it was destroyed, along with everything else." He had grown quite fond of that jacket over the months he'd spent in hiding. Stolen in an attempt to be more incognito, the heavy leather had sat awkwardly on his shoulders at first, but he had quickly grown to like it. The fact that it had been bulletproof had added to its charm. Valerie shook her head.

"Shame - looked damn good on you." She said.

They slid past a merchant arguing with a customer over the price of bok choy and then came to a stop in front of the takoyaki stand. Two seats left. Perfect. Valerie hopped up onto a stool and Goro took the one next to her, rapping his knuckles on the plastic counter.

"This is the best yakitori in all of Tokyo - nothing can best it." He said, pride in his voice. The chef emerged from between the hanging fabric at the back of the stall and beamed.

"Ah - my favourite customer!" He said cheerfully. The chef reached up to hold his white hat in place on his head as he bowed.

"Good evening Takemura-san, your usual?" He said, glancing between him and Valerie with interest. Goro held up two fingers and nodded, returning the man's smile with one of his own.

"Two please - and a bottle of saké. We are celebrating." He said, switching back to English halfway through his sentence as he realised Valerie might not understand. He did not know if she had a translator anymore. As far as he understood, the doctors had been reluctant to add cybernetics to her new body right away. There were two ports behind her ear, one for her engram shard, the other empty. Other than that, he had seen no indication of modifications. She caught his eye and gave a little smile, not looking lost in the slightest.

The chef bent below the counter to retrieve a bottle and two glasses, setting them on the scuffed plastic with a flourish.

"And what is it that you are celebrating?" He asked, pouring saké into the small cups before sliding one each to Goro and Valerie. 

"Our wedding." Valerie said in passable Japanese, catching her cup with ease. The chef looked entirely taken aback at this news, his eyebrows raising nearly to the brim of his hat. He looked between the two of them for a split second, blinked and then collected himself, smiling broadly. 

"Congratulations! Please, accept this small gift, Takemura-san." He slid the bottle over as well, bowing slightly before turning to begin cooking.

"You are most generous." Goro chuckled and caught the bottle. He knew they looked an odd couple at the moment, but he was happy to get to share the news with someone, no matter the reaction. Goro picked up his glass before he leaned back on his stool, looking at Valerie.

"I was unaware that you spoke Japanese." He said, pleased at the revelation. Valerie leaned on the counter with one elbow and gave a little shrug, a borderline smug smile on her face.

"Oh, I'm chock full of surprises." She said, raising her glass to his. Goro chuckled and clinked his saké cup against hers, taking a sip before setting it back on the counter.

"Your accent is, how would you say it -"

"Bad?"

"- Ah, yes I remember, 'fucking awful.'" He said, and Valerie let out a snort of laughter. She raised her glass again and took another sip, entirely unperturbed at his scathing review. 

"Where did you learn?" Goro asked, turning to face her fully as the smell of frying octopus began to waft towards them. Valerie took another sip of her saké, pulling his jacket closer around her shoulders. 

"Mm, my neighbor, growing up, was this woman from Osaka - I think," she began, rolling the cup between her fingers, 

" - or was it Nagasaki? Either way, she taught me; lost her arms in the Corpo wars, couldn't afford replacements. I'd do chores and shit in exchange." She said, taking another sip. Goro took a drink of his own saké, resting the base of the cup on his palm before sipping again. 

"Never got as far as workin' on the accent before she passed. Came in handy in Counterintel though." Valerie continued. 

"Mhm, you will have plenty of time to practice now." Goro said and Valerie nodded, a little smile on her face.

"Yeah, I will...s'weird, this…" she trailed off, waving her hand vaguely,

"Not dying thing." She glanced away for a second then chuckled.

"Not that I'm complainin'." She added, as the chef turned and placed their food in front of them with another flourish. 

"Itadakimasu!" 

The conversation ebbed as they began to eat, Valerie's eyes going wide as she took the first bite. She promptly devoured the rest of the takoyaki, looking almost blissful as she finished the very last crumbs, even picking the leftover bonito flakes from the plate. Goro watched her eat with satisfaction, finishing his own meal more slowly but with the same enthusiasm. When they were finished, he gestured emphatically to the empty plates.

"And now, you understand my disgust." He said and Valerie nodded, wiping her mouth with a napkin.

"Okay, you were one hundred fuckin' percent right - Night City ain't got shit on this." She said, 

"And after nothin' but hospital food for the last three weeks, this is mind blowing." Valerie leaned back on the stool and sighed contentedly. The chef turned around to remove their plates, bowing and smiling as they thanked him for the meal. 

"You are from Night City, Takemura-san?" He asked as he wiped the counter down,

"How did you meet each other?" 

Valerie looked to Goro then realised the chef was referring to her and she smiled, straightening on the stool.

"Oh! That's me now, yeah, grew up there, and uh, we met through…" Valerie trailed off, 

"...work." She finished and Goro supposed that 'work' was indeed the simplest and cleanest way to explain how they had met. The whole story would be long, ridiculous, and reveal things best left in the dark. He smiled into his cup, his heart swelling as he saw the pride on Valerie's face at being referred to by his name. The chef nodded, looking politely interested. 

"Very good - I hope you will come to enjoy living in Tokyo." 

Valerie smiled, the corners of her eyes crinkling, and she met Goro's gaze as she replied.

"Yeah, I think I will." 

They finished the bottle of saké, the alcohol settling warm and pleasant in his stomach, fighting off the encroaching chill of night. Valerie had slid her arms into the sleeves of his jacket, rolling them up a few times so her hands would be free, and her cheeks were flushed with cold. They thanked the chef again and stood to leave, Valerie wrapping her arms tight around herself and giving an exaggerated shiver. 

"Christ I do miss that NC heat though." 

"We could return," Goro offered but Valerie shook her head.

"Nah, let's walk around some - you're on vacation!" She slid her hand into his, tangling their fingers together.

"'sides, I'm a little tipsy. My alchohol tolerance is not what it fuckin' used to be and I wanna walk it off." She added in a bit of an undertone, sounding almost disappointed.

"We did just finish an entire bottle of saké in under an hour - that is no small amount." He said. Thanks to his implants, Goro metabolized alcohol quickly. It was difficult for him to get drunk; he was pleasantly warm, but clear headed.   
Valerie pulled a face and sighed.

"Me an' Jackie used to get totally smashed when we lived with his mom; Christ, 'specially after I first lost my job…" she shook her head,

"Went on a three-day bender, Jack literally had to hold me down while Mama Welles dumped the hooch." She said, a wry smile on her face. Goro raised his eyebrows.

"A good friend - You lived together?" He asked. Valerie had talked about Jack Welles with great fondness before, and he was curious about the man. Goro had dug up quite a bit of information on them both after they had robbed Arasaka tower, but that was different, clinical; He was interested in learning more about his wife's life, who had been important to her. Valerie sighed and nodded.

"Yeah - Mama Welles and Jack took me in after I got, uh, fired, helped me get back on my feet." She said.

"And into criminal activity." He added, unable to hold the comment back. Valerie raised her eyebrow and looked him over, her smile fading.

"Don't go judging; you never knew them." She said flatly, and Goro pressed his lips together in a small frown.

"Perhaps. But that does not change the facts." He said and Valerie sighed heavily, her cheeks puffing.

"Yeah well, it's not like I had another choice. Got fuckin' blacklisted after the Abernathy shit." She said, and Goro shook his head, swiping his free hand through the air.

"There is always a choice; with your skills, you could have easily found another respectable job." He said. Valerie frowned at him, her eyebrows drawn low.

"Interesting idea, coming from a man who had no fuckin' problem using those skills for his own, less than legal, ends." She said. Goro's mouth twisted and he exhaled sharply, feeling his temper flare. 

"Is that how you saw it? I was using you?" 

Valerie snorted and squeezed his hand.

"Oh c'mon Goro, don't deny it - I was a means to end, and yeah, you're right; I made some real shitty choices, but that's over with." Her face relaxed and she smiled again, gently bumping her shoulder against his arm.

"What I wanna know is, when'd that change?" She asked, and Goro let his burgeoning anger out in a long breath. What she had said was true, but it was in the past. He needed to make peace with both their choices. In his almost single-minded desire to bring her back, he had swept Valerie's criminal status mostly under the rug. The fact that Arasaka had cleared her record in order to keep their latest project under their observation had helped. 

He frowned.   
He did not want to think about Arasaka projects. 

"You called me simply to ask if I was doing well." He said finally and Valerie looked surprised.

"That was it? One phone call and poof!" She snapped her fingers,

"Suddenly I'm a person, not a tool?" She said and Goro smiled, the expression small and almost shy.

"That was the first step, yes." There was more; how she had been willing to throw herself headlong into anything if he'd needed it, given advice, listened when he'd spoken, risked life and limb to save him. So many things.

"You showed me I matter in a thousand ways." He said, very quietly. Valerie looked up to catch his eye, a soft, intimate smile on her face.

"And I'm gonna keep showing you." She replied, her voice warm. Goro squeezed her hand, words suddenly out of reach. He hadn't blushed in years, but his ears were very warm after her open declaration of affection and he cleared his throat.

"Also, your fondness for tight pants certainly made me aware of your other qualities." 

Valerie laughed, the sound bright as a bell.

"Ha! Knew you were an ass man; think I wore those 'cause they were comfy? Hell no!" She said, grinning. Goro chuckled.

"I appreciate the effort you went to on my behalf." He said and Valerie gave a little bow. 

"I aim to please." A tinge of sadness crept into her smile as she straightened up.

"In all seriousness though I wish you'd've gotten to meet Jack; he woulda liked you." She said.

"Woulda been shocked of course, but only for a sec - then you'd've been family." She continued fondly.

"Mama Welles'd make sofritas and Misty'd get out her tarot cards, give you a reading...Vik woulda made you watch a fight, start an argument with Jack 'bout it…" The sentence petered out and Valerie seemed to deflate, her face falling. Goro watched her expression change and rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand, knowing there was nothing he could say to soothe this particular wound.

"Course, they don't even know I'm still alive and I can't tell 'em otherwise; so, pipe dreams, am I right?" She said quickly, waving her hand as if to brush the thoughts away. 

"It is unfortunate you cannot contact them, but I am sure they are all doing well; Viktor is a resourceful man. While I only spoke briefly with Miss Olszewski, she is very kind, and seemed, as you would say, to have a good head on her shoulders." He said, squeezing her hand.

"And if Mrs. Welles could manage having both you and her son living under her roof at the same time, I am sure she is very tough." 

Valerie smiled and chuckled, shooting him a grateful look.

"You have no fuckin' idea. Mama Welles could make the hardest Valentino quiver in their boots, not to mention she's the best cook in Night City." She said.

"Then I was a fool for not taking your advice and visiting her establishment while I had the chance." Goro said and Valerie shook her head.

"Honestly, after what happened with Jackie she probably woulda shot you on sight, no matter what I told her. You are missing out though." She bit her lip and drummed her fingers against her thigh, obviously thinking.

"Shame I don't know the recipe for those sofritas, but, I can make you the best omelette you'll find outside Paris." She said, 

"You got any gruyère?" 

The market was beginning to close, as it was quite late, but after some searching Valerie found a stall that sold dairy products. She was very pleased to see that they indeed had gruyère cheese. 

Purchase in hand, they walked back to the apartment building, Valerie curling her fingers in the sleeves of his jacket to keep out the cold. The warmth from the saké had started to ebb and Goro was glad when they left the chilly night behind and returned to his apartment. No, their apartment.   
Sitting in the kitchen, at the simple but elegant counter that doubled as a table, Goro watched Valerie put the cheese away; the simple action solidifying the fact that this was not just his home any longer. The thought warmed him from within and he caught her arm as she walked past, pulling her close and wrapping both her hands in his, rubbing them to chase away any lingering chill.

"Mm, I could go for a cup of coffee." Valerie said with a shiver. Goro pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

"I have no coffee, but I could make you a cup of tea; the caffeine will make it difficult to sleep however." He said and Valerie raised an eyebrow, a smirk curling her lip.

"Oh you were plannin' on sleeping tonight?" She said and Goro chuckled, releasing her hands to fetch the kettle and two mugs. 

"Perhaps; why, did you have another idea?" He asked as he filled the kettle and set it on the stove. Valerie sat at the counter, resting her elbows on the marble surface. The stove clicked to life and he returned to stand on the other side of the counter, folding his hands together and rubbing his palms.

"Oh I was thinkin' we'd stay up all night, tellin' each other stories." She said lightly, knitting her fingers together to rest her chin on her hands, looking at him innocently. 

"Mhm, do you know any good ones?" He asked.

"Well, I do know one - about a big scary Bodyguard who got lost and the dirty little Thief who gave him a hand." She said. Goro raised an eyebrow, tilting his chin up to look at her. 

"This Thief - just how dirty is she?" 

"Oh very; but in a roguish, sexy way." She said, standing slowly from the chair and leaning on the counter with one elbow, resting her chin on her curled fingers, looking up at him through long eyelashes.

"And the Bodyguard, what is his position in this story?" He asked, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Oh they explore a lotta positions, but he's very stoic; buttoned up, in a way that drives the thief all kinds of crazy." She said slyly.

"Hm, he sounds very one dimensional." He said and Valerie waved one finger in a dismissive gesture.

"Not true! He's full of twists and turns; in fact, the ending would suck without him - even if he can't figure out how to use a phone." She said with a grin. Goro sniffed.

"The phone in question had an unorthodox interface." 

"Uh huh, anyway, wanna know my favorite part?" She asked, straightening up and moving around the counter to stand in front of him, leaning back and resting her elbows on the marble; a casual pose, made seductive by the way she was looking at him. Goro looked back, thoroughly enjoying the view.

"Tell me." 

Valerie smiled, the expression full of warmth and humour.

"There's a happy ending." She said, straightening up and stepping forward to rest her hands on his chest. Goro wrapped his arm around her hips, sliding his hand under the hem of her shirt to rest on her lower back.

"There's a lotta happy endings in their future, actually, which totally blows the Thief's mind; see, she can't believe how lucky she is." she continued slowly and he reached up and placed his hand over hers, holding her fingers over his heart.

"And the Bodyguard? Is his mind also 'blown'?" He asked, rubbing his thumb along the line of her spine.

"Among other things." she said, flicking her gaze down and then back up with a coy smile.

"And that's the story; thoughts?" Valerie asked, and Goro tilted his head up and squinted at the ceiling, as if mulling his answer over.

"Hmm...there is room for improvement, I believe." He said slowly, looking back down to meet her gaze. Valerie gave a small mock gasp of shock, touching her fingers to her chest and drawing her head back as if she were an offended debutante.

"How dare you, it's a fuckin' masterpiece. I should send it to a BD scroller - I'd make millions!" she said. Goro pursed his lips and shook his head.

"Where are the action sequences? A true epic involves many battles." He replied.

"There's an insane fight with a fuckin' cyberninja, ironically trained by the Bodyguard himself." Valerie said and Goro felt his mouth tighten slightly at the mention of Oda, the knot of pain and disappointment flaring. He took a breath, letting the feelings pass. He wanted to focus on what was happening right now; he could puzzle out how to make amends with his apprentice later.

"Irony is good for a tale; and the Thief - is she remorseful? Or does she require rehabilitation?" he asked slowly, sliding his hand down her back to cup her ass, pulling her flush against him. Valerie smiled, a playful glimmer in her eyes as she tilted her head. She pursed her lips, looking up as if weighing her options.

"I think she might, like I said she's very dirty." She said after a moment and Goro tightened his grip, pressing them even closer together. He felt just like he had back in her apartment; when the tension between them had been unexplored, the feeling of an impending explosion fresh in his mind.

The kettle whistled, breaking the moment, and they looked at it in tandem.

"I'm not really thirsty anymore, you?" Valerie asked. Goro reached over to turn the stove off, the kettle's shrill whistle petering out to a puff of steam.

"No, not as such." He said and Valerie stepped back, keeping her hand in his and pulling him away from the counter. 

"We could watch some TV? Catch a Bushido flick, those play all the fuckin' time." She said lightly, taking a step down the hall towards the bedroom. Goro wrinkled his nose, waving his free hand in disgust.

"No, just...no. Those films do the word a horrible injustice." He said, stepping past her to take the lead. It was not far to the bedroom, but the few steps it took to reach the door and push it open felt agonizingly slow. Valerie laughed and slid past him into the room, tugging him over to the bed.

"Oh c'mon, Bushido X is a classic!" She said, raising her hands in an imploring gesture.

"If by 'classic' you mean 'awful' then we are in agreement." He said dryly, and Valerie shook her head with a 'tsk.' 

"No accounting for taste I guess." 

"You are speaking nonsense, I have impeccable taste - besides, I would rather continue to discuss your story." He said, stepping close and taking her chin in his hand, tilting her head back so she was looking him full in the face. She leaned back slightly, meeting his gaze and he saw the fire in her eyes that made his heart pound.

"Oh, you have more notes?" She asked, breathless.

"Yes, I wish to explore this Thief character more. For example, does she take instruction well?" He asked, voice low, tilting her head to the side. Valerie followed the motion eagerly, standing almost on tip-toe to lean into the touch. 

"We, we could find out." She said, catching her lower lip between her teeth. Goro slid his thumb over her mouth, gently dragging her lip free. Again, she understood the unspoken question of permission and Goro smiled. He let go of her chin and she quickly corrected her balance, a flush high on her cheekbones. 

"Take off your clothes."

Valerie obeyed with haste, stripping out of her mismatched garments and dropping them to the floor as if they were burning her hands. Goro watched her impassively, his calm expression masking the way his heart was pounding. Valerie struck a pose, holding her arms out.

"Ta-dah." She said, the beginnings of a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. Goro tilted his chin up, slowly dragging his eyes over her; bare and standing there like she was showing off.

"Fold them." 

Valerie raised her eyebrows, looking at him with an expression stuck halfway between amused and surprised. But she did, bending at the waist to pick up the discarded clothes and folding them neatly, setting them in a pile at the foot of the bed.

"Any other chores you want me to do?" She asked, the smirk now full blown.  
Goro shook his head, working to keep his face composed. He reached down and slowly undid his belt, pulling the red fabric free and folding it neatly between his palms. 

"Give me your hands." 

Valerie held out her hands, wrists touching, palms facing up and Goro took them. He tied the belt tight enough to keep her hands together, Valerie's eyes following every movement of his fingers, finishing it with a complicated and beautiful knot. Valerie held her hands up, looking at the rope work.

"You've done this before, huh?" She breathed, looking up at him. Her face flushed, mouth curled into a smile.

"Too tight?" He asked and she shook her head, letting out a long shuddering breath. 

"Good." Goro said, resisting the urge to just grab her and take her now as he stepped past and sat on the bed. There were no threats hanging over their heads now; he could take his time. 

Valerie turned to face him, pressing her arms together so her breasts were pushed together, tilting her head back in an inviting manner. Feeling his willpower straining under her hungry gaze, Goro grabbed her arms and pulled her onto his lap, bending her over. Valerie let out a breathless laugh and slid on the blanket, unable to gain purchase on the fabric with the way her hands were bound.

"Well - ah!" 

Her sure to be sarcastic comment was cut off with a sharp gasp as he brought his palm down, keeping his fingers together to prevent the smack from hurting too much; the metal in his knuckles added enough weight to his hand that he didn't have to move his arm much to gain the desired effect. Her back straightened as he did it again, and her legs curled up at the next impact; each smack of his hand against her skin emphasized by her gasping moans.

Valerie's fingers pulled at the blanket, tugging it out of place as she wiggled under his ministrations. Goro let his hand rest on the red mark he'd left on her skin, and Valerie turned her head to look at him. Her face was flushed, her lips parted as she pushed herself up onto her elbows and let out a gasping laugh.

"Aw, rehabilitation over already?" She panted, a smirk curling her lips. Goro tilted his head back to get a clearer look at her face, gauging whether she was joking or not. He could tell she wasn't, but he wanted to hear her ask for more.

"Is the Thief remorseful?" He asked slowly, holding her gaze. Valerie licked her lips, eyes never leaving his as she quickly shook her head, her hair falling into her face. Goro reached over and brushed it away, letting his fingers linger against her cheek for a moment before coming to rest at the back of her neck, careful to avoid touching the implanted Arasaka logo.

"Is she?" He asked again, not moving his hands; it was becoming more difficult to keep a straight face. Valerie bit her lip with a grin, the corners of her eyes crinkling as she caught the hint of a smile on his face.

"Damn, you are bossy." 

Goro pushed her head down, causing her to lose the little balance she had and slide face first into the blanket with a muffled squeak.

"That is not an answer." He said, as calmly as he could manage, fingers gripping the back of her neck. Valerie squirmed, her fingers curling against his belt. 

"No, no she is not and she, she would very much like to be, please." She said in a rush, voice muffled by the fabric. Goro let out a quiet groan, his composure cracking at hearing her sound so desperate. He took a breath, steadying himself.

"Better." He said, letting go of her neck and sliding his hand down the curve of her back before raising it and bringing it down with a sharp crack. Valerie moaned and swore into the blanket, back arching and toes curling as he did it again, and again. After a fourth smack, Goro heard the tone of Valerie's moans shift to something less pleasured and he stopped, breathing almost as hard as she was. He gave her a moment to recover, ghosting his fingers over her skin, watching the curve of her spine relax before spanking her one more time for good measure. 

Valerie let out an almost pained yelp at the impact and Goro knew she'd had enough; he didn't actually want to hurt her. She sighed into the bed as he ran his hand up and down her back, her body relaxing under the gentle touch. Goro sighed through his nose, his own body humming with desire as he slid his hand from her back to rub his knuckles along her very, very wet entrance. She shivered at the touch, and Goro let out a quiet groan; the sound slipping past his lips despite his best efforts. Valerie sighed again, toes curling against the blanket. She turned her head to look at him, eyes half-lidded and full of desire.

"Still feelin' bossy?" She asked, 

"Mm, perhaps…" Goro began slowly, rubbing his knuckles against her again. Valerie's eyes fluttered closed at the touch, shifting her hips up to allow him better access. His heart was pounding in his chest, body practically screaming for him to tear his clothes off and fuck his wife without anymore preamble.

But this was as much about controlling himself as it was her; he wanted to luxuriate in the heady tension of foreplay, keep himself wound tight until he literally could not stand it anymore. Which would happen sooner rather than later, if the almost uncomfortable ache in his groin was any indication. But just because he was intent on denying himself as long as possible did not mean he would do the same to her.

"...yes, I believe I am still, 'feeling bossy' as you say," he continued. Goro tilted his chin up and held her gaze as he turned his hand over; applying a gentle pressure as he rubbed small circles over her clit with his thumb before sliding his index and middle fingers into her slick, wet heat. He worked up a steady rhythm, fingers curling inside her slightly with each stroke of his thumb.

"Fffuck…" Valerie breathed, dropping her head back onto the bed, face twisting with pleasure. Goro watched her expression, feeling his own pleasure building almost to a head as he saw her eyes flicker, feeling her tense and quiver with the movement of his fingers. She came more quickly than he had anticipated, her whole body tightening as she moaned out her release. He groaned, already moving his fingers to coax her over the edge once more; the last vestiges of his control falling away after watching Valerie come undone around his fingers.

"Ohhh god...god, gimme a minute." Valerie gasped, open mouth pressed against the sheets. Goro stopped, sliding his fingers free and moving her off his lap and onto the bed. She flopped on the mattress, gasping and near breathless, a laugh catching in her throat.

"Fuck - new…body, that - wow Christ, okay…" she panted, looking dazed for a moment before she refocused on him, brown eyes alight with desire. 

"Why the fuck are you still wearing clothes!" She panted, gesturing imploringly with her bound hands. Goro was done denying himself. He stood quickly, fingers fumbling with the buttons of his shirt. It took less than thirty seconds for him to strip his garments off but that was about twenty seconds too long; he left his socks on, too focused on getting back to Valerie to bother removing them.

"Wait! Take your hair down." She said, and Goro obeyed, tossing the elastic somewhere and shaking his head to get his hair out of his eyes.

He slid back onto the bed, grabbing her ankle and pulling her close. He ran his hand along the length of her leg to grip her hip, positioning himself on his knees between her legs. Goro leaned down, catching her wrists and holding them down above her head as he kissed her roughly. She moaned into his open mouth and he brushed his tongue against hers before briefly catching her lower lip between his teeth. He let go of her wrists to balance on his forearm, shifting his hips to slide into her with no further delay. Valerie's legs curled over his hip bones and she swore against his lips, back arching as he thrust into her with haste. She draped her arms over his shoulders, the edge of the belt brushing against his back with his every movement. Goro moaned and moved his lips to her neck and pressed a kiss to her fluttering pulse; rolling his hips to push into her even further.

"Ah fuck!" Valerie gasped, her fingers digging into his shoulder; he leaned back, lifting her head from the pillow and let go of her hip to reach up and grip the back of her head. Goro buried his fingers in her hair and tugged; Valerie moaned and swore, her face twisted with ecstasy. He let go of her hair and reached up with his other hand to remove her arms from around his neck, kissing her elbow before pushing them back onto the bed. Valerie's head dropped back into the pillow and he leaned back, grabbing her thighs and pulling her to meet him with every thrust. He let out a low growl of pleasure; a strand of hair caught on his lip but he didn't notice, entierly absorbed in the sounds she was making. Valerie's hands twisted in the belt, a blissful look on her face as he felt her orgasm again; his toes curled and he felt the wave of his own release fast approaching. Goro leaned forward, a moan escaping him as he caught her lips in a fevered kiss, letting go of her legs and supporting himself on his forearms. 

He let out a long, shuddering groan, lights bursting behind his eyelids as he came, hard. Valerie curled under him in response, moving her hips to extend the moment of pleasure almost past what he could handle. Goro shivered, panting against her lips for a moment before rolling off of her and flopping into 

They lay there in the messed up sheets, out of breath, for several moments; Goro's ears ringing from the nearly overwhelming release. Valerie wiggled onto her side and let out a breath that puffed her cheeks, holding her still bound hands out to him with an exhausted smile. Goro undid the knot with shaky fingers, pulling the red fabric free and tossing it away. He rubbed her wrists, smoothing the slight indentations left from the belt with his thumbs. Valerie let her cheek rest on her outstretched arm and let out a long, happy sigh.

"Jesus...Good thing we got nothin' to do in the morning; think I'd fuckin' collapse." She mumbled, puffing out a breath to blow a strand of hair from her eyes. Goro sighed heavily, letting his head fall back onto the pillow with a soft thump.

"Yes, as would I." He said, his breathing still settling back to normal. Valerie reached out and brushed his hair back from his face, sliding her fingers through the loose strands. Goro closed his eyes, sighing softly at the touch. He felt her lay her head next to his, her fingers continuing to run through his hair. It was very relaxing, and Goro lay still, relishing the intimacy of the moment. 

It occurred to him that this was not going to be an isolated moment; that Valerie could run her fingers through his hair every night while they lay in their bed, that this was his life now. The thought brought forth a wave of peace that would have knocked him off his feet if he hadn't already been lying down. He opened his eyes and looked at the ceiling, letting the feeling sink deep into his soul. His life - and his bed - were cold and empty no longer. Valerie shifted next to him, bringing him out of his thoughts. 

"Y'know, we don't actually know all that much about each other." She said, resting her chin in her hand. Goro blinked.

"What do you mean?" He asked, looking at her over the curve of the pillow. 

"Well, like, when's your birthday? What's your favorite color? Do you like cilantro or does it taste like soap to you - that kinda stuff." Valerie said, gesturing vaguely with her other hand. Goro rolled onto his side, propping himself up on one elbow so they were at eye level.

"Ah, you are right," He said, adjusting the blanket so it lay comfortably over his hip. Goro held up his fingers as he listed his answers.

"Hm - I was born on November the nineteenth, my favourite color is...red, and I do not recall having ever eaten cilantro, but if it tastes like soap, I would prefer to avoid it." he said and Valerie chuckled.

"It only tastes like soap to some people - some bullshit to do with genes or whatever." 

"How unusual." Goro said with a small frown, and then gestured to her, running his fingers along her arm.

"And you?" He asked. Valerie sighed and let her head drop onto her shoulder, looking up to the ceiling.

"Mmm...my favorite color is probably black - can't go wrong with that - I do love cilantro and my birthday is April...twenty-fourth." She said and then paused. She narrowed her eyes and appeared to be calculating for a moment, then pursed her lips. 

"...Jesus Christ I made it to thirty," she said quietly, sounding as if she didn't quite believe it. Valerie raised her fist and shook it at the ceiling, a laugh catching in her throat.

"Take that mom - proved you fuckin' wrong." She said and Goro snorted.

"The more I hear of your mother the more charming she becomes." He said dryly and Valerie looked back at him with a wry smile.

"Yeah she was a fuckin' peach - how old are you?" 

"Forty-nine." He replied. Goro was nineteen years Valerie's senior; the fact did not bother him, but it was rather amusing to think she had been in diapers while he had been fighting in corporate wars.   
Valerie nodded, taking his hand in hers and turning it over, running her fingers along the lines of his palm. 

"Hmm, what else…" she murmured. Goro curled his fingers to brush against her knuckles.

"It is my turn, where did you acquire the nickname 'V'?" He asked. He had been curious about that ever since they had first met. Valerie smiled and gave a little shrug. 

"Y'know I actually picked it up from somebody else," she began.

"First big job, me an' Jack get paired up with this cowboy lookin' motherfucker, big beard, sunglasses, cowboy hat - the works," she gestured to the top of her head, tracing the curve of a large hat brim with her fingers.

"Didn't say much - but Christ; guy had a gun that could kill God." 

"Kill God?" Goro repeated.

"Well not literally, but it was stupid powerful - dude wiped the floor with every asshole in our way without breaking a sweat, saw him get shot like, eighty times? Walked it off." She shook her head. 

"After the job, he hopped on this shitty motorcycle and just, disappeared. Never even heard of 'im again. If Jack hadn't been there I woulda thought I'd hallucinated the whole thing. Guy called himself 'A' and I thought, well damn, that's badass." She said. Goro's eyebrows had raised higher and higher as she told this story, finally settling near his hairline as she finished. He shook his head.

"Insanity. And you wished to emulate this, 'A'?" He said, not quite believing her. This A sounded more like some sort of demon than a flesh and blood being.  
Valerie scoffed.

"Wouldn't you? Guy was like, the preem merc - just like I wanted to be." she said, voice dropping a bit at the end of her sentence. Goro's eyebrows returned to their normal position; he had no idea if Valerie was being entirely honest with him about the origin of her nickname. But it was alright, there would be time for her to tell him the whole story later if she wished.

"Did you always wish to be a mercenary?" He asked, shifting his weight to prevent his arm from going numb. Valerie narrowed her eyes slightly, and Goro held up a hand in a conciliatory gesture.

"I am not judging, simply curious." He said, and he meant it. Goro did not wish to start another argument; he was relaxed, content and wanted to know more about her. Valerie sighed heavily and rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling for a moment before replying.

"No, no I did not…" she began, letting out another sigh. 

"...I used to dance, ballet. Was pretty good too. 'Course, mom wouldnt've let me be anything otherwise. I'd practice for hours an' hours in the living room; the same stupid song on repeat." She said. Goro sat up to see her more clearly, pulling the blanket with him. He folded his hands together, rubbing his palms and looking at her closely.

"Truly? I had no idea - would you show me?" He asked, curiosity and surprise plain in his voice. The sophistication and grace of ballet was not something he would have associated with Valerie, and he couldn't picture it. But now that he knew, he very badly wanted to see her dance. Valerie shook her head, 

"Can't. Haven't in years, plus this whole new body thing...I don't have any of the conditionin' anymore - on the plus side," she pulled one of her feet out from under the blanket and held it up. 

"My feet aren't all fucked up." She wiggled her toes as if to prove it. Goro chuckled. He was still unable to see her as a dancer, and he supposed he never would. The thought left a slightly bitter taste in his mouth.

"What about you - got any secret talents?" Valerie asked. 

"Other than origami, I mean." 

Goro thought about it for a moment, shifting his weight on the bed and then shook his head.

"No. I did not have much time for hobbies growing up, and once I became part of Arasaka I had even less time." He paused.

"I do enjoy cooking, but I do not think that counts as a hobby." 

Valerie shook her head, smiling.

"Nope, totally does; you're damn good at it too." She said. Goro smiled, feeling a swell of pride at the compliment. 

"I have yet to actually cook for you, your meager stove did not allow the use of much skill." 

"Good thing we got plenty of time ahead of us." Valerie said, rolling onto her stomach and looking up at him with a beaming smile. Goro laid back down, pulling the blanket over them both and tugging her close. She flipped onto her side and slid her arm around his waist, settling her head further into the pillow.

"Yes, it is a good thing." He murmured softly, brushing her hair out of her eyes before closing his own.

He fell asleep, soothed by the slow, even breathing of his wife next to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The cowboy hat wearing merc A is a reference to my husband's V, who is so overpowered he took out Adam Smasher in three shots and only rides the ugliest motorcycles he can find - it's insane.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the kudos and comments and bookmarks!!! They fuel me and warm my heart ❤

They woke early, the sunlight only just beginning to slide in the window as they stretched and yawned into wakefulness. Goro had slept well, better than he had in years, and he was feeling incredibly refreshed. After a few minutes spent in soft kisses and murmured 'good morning's' he got up and dressed quickly, quite eager to start in on his rare time off. Valerie moved with a bit less enthusiasm; she sat on the edge of the bed and ran her hands down her face with a long sigh, blinking tiredness from her eyes.

"You slept poorly?" He asked over his shoulder.

"Mm? Not really, just - had some weird dreams." she replied, rubbing a hand across her cheek. 

"Strange how?" He asked, buttoning his shirt and pausing as he came to the collar. After a moment's deliberation he decided to leave it unpinned. Valerie had fallen quiet and he turned to see her still sitting on the bed, staring at her hands. He could not see her face clearly from this angle, but the corner of her mouth was turned sharply down.

"Valerie?" 

"Huh?" She blinked and straightened up, seemingly shaken out of a deep thought. 

"Uh, just - I dunno." She pressed her lips together, not quite looking at him and shook her head.

"It's hard to describe - lotta...tubes an' wires; it's like I was floating in somethin' and people were lookin' in at me…" she trailed off, curling her fingers to her palms and then uncurling them again; as if they were unfamiliar.

"...I don't know if it was totally a dream." She said quietly. Goro frowned, watching Valerie examine her hands. Disturbingly, it reminded him of when Silverhand's engram had taken control, of the way he had held her fingers out and looked at them; just like she was doing now. Goro watched the light glint on Valerie's ring as she moved her fingers. He was thinking back to the messages he had received from Hellman. He had not been privy to many details, but he did know that clones were grown in vats large enough for a fully grown adult to float in. Goro walked over and sat next to her on the bed, resting his elbows on his knees and folding his hands together as he looked at her with concern.

"It may not have been." He said quietly, rubbing his palms together. She should not have been able to remember that, her engram hadn't been installed until well after the clone had been deemed stable enough to survive independently. But he could very well be wrong, and the thought was unnerving. Valerie looked at him, her eyebrows drawn low and her lips tightened into a thin line. He was about to continue when Valerie let out a low breath and looked back to her hands with narrowed eyes, a distant expression on her face.

"Memories. But not mine…" she said quietly.

"...I overwrote whoever was in here, just like Johnny was doin' to me." 

"There was no one 'in there', as you put it. The body - your body - was - is you." Goro said sharply, a concerned frown wrinkling his brow. Valerie didn't respond immediately, her mouth curling down even further as she rubbed two fingers along her temple; clearly torn. Goro shifted uneasily on the bed. He did not know if he had spoken the truth and the implications were unsettling. He looked at his hands for a moment, attempting to imagine what it would be like to see them and not know if they were his. The metal in his knuckles caught the light and he could not distance himself from the familiar lines of his palms, could not understand what she was struggling with. 

"Would you like me to call a doctor?" He asked carefully, knowing she would balk at the idea but having nothing else to offer. Valerie glanced at him sharply, the distant look in her eye disappearing at once as she scowled.

"Fuck no! I am not going back there. I'm, I'm fine." She said, waving her hand as if to erase the suggestion. Valerie took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment before looking back at him, a slightly forced smile on her face.

"Anyway, you're on vacation and I got omelettes to make, so," She began, gesturing pointedly first to him then to herself,

"I'm gonna go do that." She finished firmly, pushing her hands against her knees to stand. Goro felt his jaw tighten, but held his tongue; the conversation was over. Clearly Valerie did not want to talk about this, and Goro would not push her. He watched her pick his shirt from the day before off the floor and pull it on, buttoning it partially closed before rolling up the sleeves. Their conversation repeated itself in his head as she dressed, worry knitting his brow and making his stomach tighten as he curled his hands around each other.

Valerie clattered around in the kitchen as she cooked breakfast, poking through drawers and cabinets as she looked for utensils and a frying pan. Goro tried pointing out where a few things were but she insisted on finding them herself, giving a short 'ha!' of triumph as she located the cookware. The charade was slightly silly. Even though he knew she was only being so bombastic to try and clear the weight of their earlier conversation from the air, he still found it charming. Valerie paused in removing a knife from the knife block to pick up one of the origami figures next to it. She smiled, turning the cat over in her fingers before setting it down on the counter next to him.

"A Bakeneko?" 

Goro smiled and gently pulled on a piece of the figure, unfolding not one tail, but two.

"A Nekomata - similar, but more dangerous. Able to raise the dead and make them dance to it's whims, among other things." He said. Valerie pursed her lips.

"How'd it end up with two tails?" 

"It is said that as a cat ages, it's tail splits and it becomes Nekomata." 

"Huh. And what makes 'em so dangerous?" She asked, turning back to chop the scallions she had laid on a cutting board. 

"According to legend, they grow old and hungry, abducting and eating those they once considered their masters." He said, moving the tails so they were spread evenly. 

"Interesting...lotta folklore has to do with hungry cats - there's a French one too. A Matagot. Usually they're evil, but if you give 'em the first bite of food and drink from every meal they give you a gold coin everyday." She said, cracking two eggs into a bowl. 

"Seems to me, if you just feed 'em, everything's good." 

Goro chuckled, sitting back on the stool.

"A good meal has its own magical properties." 

Valerie finished breakfast after a few minutes, carefully turning the pale, golden omelettes onto two plates and garnishing them with scallions.

"Voilà! Voici le petit déjeuner!" She said, fast enough that it took a second for his translator to catch up as she set the plates down with a flourish. 

"Itadakimasu." 

Goro sliced a piece off with his chopsticks, eyeing the stretch of cheese as he lifted it to his mouth. He rarely ate cheese, finding it too rich for his palate, but as he ate the bite of omelette the slightly nutty flavour melded with the creaminess of the eggs and it was delicious. Valerie seemed to be waiting for his reaction, her breakfast untouched. 

"If you are not going to eat that, I will. It is delicious." He said, gesturing threateningly with his chopsticks towards her omelette.  
Valerie beamed, moving her plate out of his reach.

"Back off, I haven't had one of these in years...and I'm glad you like it." She said, before picking up her own chopsticks and diving in.

They finished breakfast quickly and washed up, returning the kitchen to its previous state of spotlessness; Goro left the Nekomata on the counter, the paper yokai lording over its domain. Valerie changed out of his shirt and back into her scrubs with a look of distaste, pausing in front of a mirror to fuss with her hair. 

"God I need a haircut." She muttered, raking her fingers through the shoulder length strands. Her face tightened as she ran a hand over the back of her neck.

"Not too short though." 

Goro glanced up from changing his socks, hearing the note of discomfort in her voice.

"Perhaps just a trim. We can stop somewhere." He said. Valerie nodded and turned from the mirror to face him.

"Yeah, that'd be good. Which reminds me - can I use your computer?" She said. Goro nodded, looking around at the floor for the elastic he had tossed aside the night before. He had others, but that one was worn in, comfortable. Valerie went into the office as he located the elastic where it had slid under the dresser. Having fixed his own hair Goro followed after her, curious as to what she needed the computer for.

"Gettin' my money - you're my husband not my sugar daddy; I'm buyin' my own shit." She said when he asked what she was up to. Goro raised an eyebrow.

"Sugar daddy?" He had not heard the term before. Valerie chuckled, 

"Yeah - uh, an older guy who buys stuff for somebody younger in exchange for sex - you got a blank shard around?" She explained, digging through the drawer under the desk. Goro wrinkled his nose, reaching over her shoulder to pluck a shard from the drawer.

"Hm, no I am not a 'sugar daddy', but I do not see an issue with providing for my wife." He said, holding the shard out. Valerie took it, tapping it once against her palm before inserting it into the computer.

"Wish I still had my personal link, but this'll do - and while I appreciate that sentiment Goro, I'm perfectly capable of takin' care of myself." She said, tapping on the screen to transfer the balance from her account to the shard. 

"Damn inactivity fees." She muttered under her breath as she removed the shard and tucked it into her pocket. 

"I know this - but I wish you to know that if you should ever need anything, I am right here." Goro said, stepping back as Valerie stood from chair.

"I do know that - and it means the world." She smiled, the expression soft and reached out for his hand, pulling him into a kiss. Goro sighed through his nose at the contact, brushing his fingers along her cheek. He treasured these small moments, each one a glittering jewel, and as time moved forward he would get to collect more, and more. 

They left the apartment in the warm morning sunlight and walked to the train station. Goro hated driving if it was not for work. Tokyo's streets were narrow and very congested, motorbikes dove in and out of traffic and it took twice as long to drive than it did to take the train. If he was on Arasaka business he could use his credentials to access certain byways that made travelling by car easier and safer, but shopping most certainly did not count. The first thing Valerie wanted to purchase was new clothes, and Goro did not blame her - so he had suggested they go to Shibuya. 

The train station was as crowded as usual, and Valerie looked around with interest at the sheer amount of people packed onto the terminal. She eyed the many, many armed guards evenly distributed throughout the crowd and raised an eyebrow. Leaning closer to him, she nodded to one of the guards.

"Damn - they expecting trouble?" She said quietly, linking her pinkie with his. Goro shook his head, watching the electronic display on the wall as it listed out the various train lines.

"No, they are here to prevent trouble. The rail system is the lifeblood of Tokyo - if it were to go down, the entire city would be in peril." He said, standing straighter to peer over the top of a taller man's head.  
The pleasant voice of the station master came over the intercom, announcing the arrival of their train and the whole group of people moved forward as one, squeezing in to the train car until it was entirely packed. Goro held onto one of the hanging bars to keep himself steady and Valerie squeezed herself in under his arm; the corner of a woman's purse almost poking her in the eye. The train pulled out of the station, the passengers rocking slightly with the motion and Goro watched the skyscrapers of Tokyo blur past. 

The trip was a short one, and before too long the passengers all spilled out into another terminal, neatly unpacking themselves from the cramped train car. Valerie let out a puff of air and tugged at her shirt collar, looking relieved.

"I don't mind tight spaces, but I've never been in that close with so many people and its just been dead fuckin' silent." She said. Goro caught her hand in his and they set off from the train station, Goro glancing down at her as they walked.

"Is that not the norm?" 

"No! Jesus, you get on a packed subway in NC an' it's like bein' inside a blaring radio. People talkin', arguing, drunks pissin' in the corner - not to mention the Mariachi bands." She said, gesturing with her hand as she spoke. Goro grimaced.

"What you have just described sounds like literal hell," He said, lip curling with disgust. He shook the mental image she had conjured away and frowned.

"What is a Mariachi and why are there bands of them?" He asked as they climbed the stairs from the station into Shibuya proper. Valerie clapped a hand to her cheek.

"Ohhhh Goro you missed out on a classic NC experience! God - okay so, Mariachi is a type of music - I honestly don't mind it but it's real loud, and bands'll get on at one stop, play a few songs for Eddies then get off at the next one." She explained. 

"They were at every stop in Valetino territory." 

"That does not sound so bad." He said. Live music was usually a pleasant experience, although, he could understand how it would be a bit much in an already crowded train car. Valerie shook her head with a chuckle.

"Its uh, somethin' that's for sure." 

They walked hand in hand down the street, looking in shop windows until Valerie found one that was to her taste. Goro told Valerie he was going to look for something himself at another store and to take as much time as she wished. They split up, Goro tucking his hands into his pockets as he walked a little further down the street. 

He returned about twenty minutes later, purchase in hand, and when Valerie still did not emerge from the store he sat on a bench outside and pulled out his phone. Opening the messaging application, Goro selected Oda from his list of contacts and paused, thumbs hovering over the keyboard. 

What to say. 

He typed several messages, deleting them one after another as nothing seemed appropriate, eventually just leaving the screen blank and staring at it with intensity.  
Goro did not feel as if he needed to apologise, but their distance had gone on so long that a casual message did not feel adequate. There were several quotes from philosophers that he found stirring, but breaching the long silence with something so impersonal seemed like a poor choice. 

"You look like you're gonna go face an executioner Goro - everything good?"

He looked up. Valerie was leaning against the bench and looking at him with concern, one hand in the pocket of a sharply fitted jacket and the other holding several bags. She was dressed much like she used to while they were in Night City; stylishly and in all black. 

"You look as if you are an executioner - do you not believe in color?" He said, tucking his phone back in his pocket. Valerie chuckled, sitting on the bench next him. 

"Black is easy, everything matches - but seriously, you alright?" She asked. Goro sighed heavily and shook his head.

"I am...struggling to repair a relationship." He said, tapping his hand against his leg. Valerie leaned back and reached into her pocket, making as if to pull something free and seeming surprised when her hand came out empty. 

"Who with?" She asked. Goro shot her a look, taken aback by the odd movement. 

"Oda has not spoken to me since we took back Arasaka tower...what was that?" He asked, nodding towards her hand. Valerie shook her head but did not quite meet his eye as she responded.

"Lookin' for the receipt - anyway, really? Not in two years? I thought you guys were buds." 

Goro narrowed his eyes slightly but let the odd moment pass. 

"Yes - he is like a nephew, and a friend." He began, drumming his fingers on his leg.

"I believe he feels as if I betrayed him during the parade - but I did not!" He said vehemently, slicing his hand down through the air. 

"My actions were necessary, and resulted in the correction of several injustices." He said with a thunderous frown, leaning back and crossing his arms. Goro felt his nostrils flare and he exhaled sharply as his temper rose.

"He refuses to accept this fact!" He finished with almost a snarl. Valerie raised her eyebrows and turned on the bench to face him more fully.

"Sounds like he's not the only one feelin' betrayed." She said. Goro pursed his lips, knowing she was right. He did feel betrayed - Oda should understand that he had done what was necessary to bring the truth to light.

"Have you tried talkin' to him - outside of work?" 

"That is what I was attempting to do." Goro muttered, tapping his pocket. Valerie let out a short sigh, shaking her head.

"Over text? That's no good. You gotta work somethin' like this out in person." She said. Goro remembered the last time he and Oda had met in person, at the Medical Center, and his scowl deepend.

"I do not think it will be that simple - he will not even exchange pleasantries with me." He grumbled and Valerie winced. Goro glared at the pavement for a moment longer, thinking.

"What would you do, were you in my position?" He asked. Valerie propped her elbow on her knee, tapping her fingers against her lips as she thought.

"Hmm...if I had beef with Jackie we'd get each other piss drunk an' have a fight - that usually cleared shit up." 

"You are joking." 

"Nope! Worked wonders - 'course we were usually arguin' over somethin' stupid, like who won at cards, or a girl." She said.

"For somethin' like this, I dunno, breakin' the stalemate is gonna be tough...especially if you only ever see him at work." She mused, rubbing her chin. 

"You guys got any common interests? Outside of being badass cyberninjas I mean." She said with a bit of a grin and Goro could not help but chuckle.

"Perhaps..." He uncrossed his arms and rubbed a hand over his beard, thinking.

"Hmm...Karaoke." 

There was a pause.

"You're fucking joking." 

Goro shook his head as Valerie goggled at him, and he chuckled at her expression.

"What is so shocking? Karaoke is a popular pastime." He said, spreading his arms and leaning back on the bench. He felt better after opening up about his struggles with Oda to Valerie, and the look on her face was very funny. She pressed her palm to her forehead for a second and then gestured to him with both hands.

"You have to invite me - You have to."  
She said emphatically and Goro laughed.

"Very well. But not at this time, I am enjoying my vacation with you." He said, stretching his fingers to brush against her shoulder. Valerie leaned into his touch and smiled, the corners of her eyes crinkling. 

They continued shopping in Shibuya for a while longer, stopping in a few stores here and there to pick up several other things and visiting a hair salon so Valerie could get her hair cut. After that, they returned to the station to catch a train to Akihabara and purchase a phone and a coffee maker.

"Smile!" 

Goro blinked as the flash from Valerie's phone went off, caught off guard as he was brushing a speck of dust from his sleeve. She looked at the picture and grinned.

"Very candid." She said with a laugh. Goro frowned; 'candid' very often meant 'bad'. 

"Let me see." He said, stepping closer to look over her shoulder. He made a face and shook his head. The picture was indeed bad, his eyes were half closed and he looked like he was about to sneeze. Valerie chuckled and tilted the phone so he could see more clearly.

"Okay, not your best look, lemme try again." She said, switching the camera to face them. The flash went off again and even though he had been expecting it the sudden light made him squint. Valerie took one look at the picture and burst out laughing.

"Fuck, that's awful!" She said and Goro had to agree. Valerie had blinked, her mouth was half open and he looked as if he had just received dire news. Still laughing, Valerie went to take another picture.

"Excuse me!!" A breathless voice called from a few feet away. They looked around to see a small group of young women, all holding their phones and staring at them excitedly. 

"Uh, yeah?" Valerie asked, finger hovering over her phone screen. 

"Are you taking photos with fans today Yure-Chan!?" One of the young women exclaimed. 

Goro felt as if a god had descended from the heavens to personally deliver him a gift wrapped in gold. He instantly put both hands on Valerie's shoulders to keep her from escaping.

"Yes, yes she is - would you like one?" He said and the young women all giggled excitedly. Valerie opened and shut her mouth, looking up at him with betrayal in her eyes. Goro leaned down to whisper in her ear before pushing her towards the group.

"Vengance is sweet." He said and then Valerie was absorbed into the giggling mass. 

They returned home in the late afternoon, early enough to avoid the crush of people returning from work, their arms laden with shopping bags. After putting their purchases away and making dinner - grilled eel over rice - they sat on the couch, Valerie curling her legs up and leaning her head on his shoulder. Goro turned on the television, something he rarely used, and flipped through his small collection of media. 

"What're we watchin'?" Valerie asked, sliding her arm around his. 

"A very old show - but a favourite." He replied, flipping past several samurai movies before he found what he was looking for. He hit play and settled back on the couch, removing his arm from Valerie's grasp to put it around her shoulders instead, pulling her closer. The blare of trumpets started and the word 'Cowboy' appeared on the screen multiple times as the intro began. Goro tapped out the rhythm of the opening song on Valerie's shoulder; he hadn't watched this in years and was excited to share it with her. 

"Huh, didn't take you for an anime fan." Valerie said, sounding surprised. She shifted her weight to be more comfortable, resting her head against his chest. Goro nodded towards the screen, smiling.

"I am not, but this is a true classic - and the music is very excellent." He said. The jazz was vibrant and bold, a perfect accent to the elegant animation and artistically rendered backgrounds. Valerie chuckled.

"Yeah, it is." She said, and he could hear the smile in her voice. They watched the first episode in near silence, which was not exactly what he had been expecting. Valerie usually gave a running commentary on whatever was happening on the TV; something that had gotten on his nerves when they had been hiding in her apartment. Now that she wasn't, he thought perhaps she did not like the show. Feeling a bit disappointed and even a little embarrassed Goro stopped the credits and went to change the channel. Valerie sat up and looked at him indignantly.

"Hey, why'd you change it?" She asked. Goro paused, his finger hovering over the button.

"Oh, I assumed - "

"That I didn't like it cause I'm not runnin' my mouth?" 

"Yes." He said and Valerie shook her head emphatically.

"No, this is incredible! I'm hooked, put it back." She said and Goro beamed. He played the next episode and Valerie settled back against him. They watched the entire show, heedless of the time and when it ended Valerie sat up again, looking contemplative.

"Damn...did he actually die?" She asked. Goro shrugged as he turned off the television.

"It is unknown. But the ambiguity suits the themes does it not?" He replied and Valerie nodded slowly.

"Oh yeah, most definitely." She said, smiling. 

"I'm gonna have that song stuck in my head for the rest of my life." She said and Goro chuckled, glancing to the clock on the wall. It was half past two in the morning. As much as he would have enjoyed staying up later and discussing the finer points of the show in great detail, he was tired. They retired to the bedroom, Valerie bumping her elbow against his as they brushed their teeth and changing into pajamas before climbing into bed. Valerie sighed happily as she settled her head on the pillow, looking at him with that mix of devotion and affection in her eyes that made his heart swell.

"Thanks for today - I feel like a real person again." She said softly. Goro smiled back, caressing her cheek.

"Was that ever in doubt?" He replied. A trace of something bitter appeared in her eyes and she glanced away. 

"...no, I guess not." She muttered. Goro pulled her close, kissing her gently before running a hand over the back of her head, his fingers accidentally brushing over the Arasaka logo at the back of her neck. She stiffened slightly at the touch and Goro winced. He had been so caught up in enjoying the day that he had been able to push all the heavy thoughts that had been plaguing him to the back of his mind. Until now. Goro moved his hand away from her neck, letting it rest on her shoulder instead.

"There is no doubt in my mind." He said quietly. Valerie sighed against his chest but did not reply. She fell asleep shortly after, but Goro did not. He lay awake, gazing into the darkness, for a long time.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your continued support through comments, Kudos and bookmarks!!! I get so excited every time I get a notification and I'm so thrilled people like this 💓 i wanna give a special shoutout to my dear friend Ardate for helping me work through some snags in this chapter 💗💗💗

"Wake up." 

Goro grumbled incoherently and buried his head further in the pillow.

"C'mon, wake up." 

Goro cracked one eye open and squinted to see Valerie laying on the pillow next to him, hair a messy halo and a smile on her face.

"God you have pretty eyes." She said. Goro squeezed his eye shut again and pulled the blanket up to his ear, entirely blindsided by the compliment. Valerie tugged the blanket free and brushed his hair away to kiss from his cheekbone to his ear. He pressed further into the pillow at her assault.

"It's eleven-thirty, c'mon Goro get up." She whispered, breath tickling his cheek. Hearing the time did wake him and he sat up abruptly, almost knocking Valerie over. 

"Kuso." He swore, voice still rough from sleep. Valerie laughed and corrected her balance, sitting with her legs crossed under her. She smoothed her hair and Goro rubbed a hand over his eyes. He had not slept well, but he was more frustrated with the fact that he had wasted so much of the day sleeping. Grimacing, he ran his fingers through his own hair, loosing the tangles that had formed as he had tossed and turned. 

"Rough night?" Valerie asked, leaning back to look at him sympathetically. Goro exhaled sharply and nodded, trying to shake off the tiredness that still clung to him. She sighed and turned to swing her legs over the side of the bed, yawning widely.

"Yeah, me too. How's tea sound?" She asked over her shoulder. Goro blinked several times before following after her to sit on the edge of the bed, rubbing at the side of his face. 

"That would be most appreciated." He replied. Valerie leaned down and kissed him, the contact doing much to ease the foul mood that was threatening to overtake him. He caught her hand and kissed her knuckles as she turned away and she smiled before walking towards the kitchen. Goro watched her go, a smile on his face that was quickly contorted into a yawn. 

He showered and dressed, trading places with Valerie after he was finished. He sipped on the tea, willing the caffeine to get into his system quickly as he began to brew a pot of coffee. He had spent most of the night worrying; about Valerie, about memories that were not hers and what her position as an Arasaka clone really meant for her future. He had done his best to manoeuvre things in her favor, but that could only go so far. Arasaka was the most powerful corporation in the world, and one contract could not truly prevent them from doing whatever they wished with one of their products. That line of thinking had led him straight back to his thoughts on his own position, and the discomfort that had buried itself into his very soul.

Goro swallowed a sip of tea and looked down at his throat. He could not clearly see the Arasaka logo embedded in his neck from this angle, but it was only one of many. He reached up to the back of his head, feeling the twin logos in the back of his skull. He did not want to be thinking about any of this, he should not be thinking about this. He had sworn an oath on his honour to serve Arasaka and his master for as long as he was needed and able. Goro took another sip of tea, squeezing the mug.

That was his lot in life.  
He had accepted that years ago, embraced it, and he would continue to do so.  
He had to.  
He was grateful for the opportunities Arasaka had provided him over the years. What would he be without Arasaka? Nothing.  
A street rat, dead before his time in the dirty back alleys of Chiba-11.

Goro let out a long breath, setting the mug on the counter.

Yes, he would be nothing without Arasaka - and he would serve, as was his duty. If he was as much a product as Valerie was, what did it matter? He had his life and a position at the shoulder of the most powerful man in the world. A man he greatly admired and respected, and who had given him back the person he cared most deeply for. 

Everything he was, everything he had, was a result of Arasaka. 

So why would these traitorous thoughts not leave him alone? 

Valerie walked into the kitchen, her hair wet and her expression drawn. Goro forced the tangle of his thoughts back, turning to fetch a mug and the sugar. He did not want to continue thinking about this, would not let himself. It was the last day of his vacation and he would enjoy it. He had everything he had ever wanted. Everything was good.

He set the mug on the counter with such force that the china cracked and he gritted his teeth, letting out a long breath as he struggled to get his feelings under control. He felt a hand on his back and glanced over to see Valerie standing next to him, looking up to meet his gaze with serious eyes.

"Wanna talk about it?" She asked after a moment of silence. Goro shook his head, his nostrils flaring.

"No." He said flatly. Valerie nodded, her face drawn and pale. He looked at her for a moment, seeing pain in her eyes and instinctively knowing it was only partially on his behalf.

"Do you?" 

"No." She said, with the same lack of inflection he'd had. Goro sighed heavily and lifted the mug. The handle came free in his hand, leaving the rest of the cup on the counter. With a quiet swear, he turned to get another one, sweeping the broken mug into the trash. 

It was the wrong season for cherry blossoms, but Goro was determined to make good on his promise to show Valerie Japan. They had explored a small amount of Tokyo the day before, but there would be opportunities to see more of the city in the future. Goro suggested they use what remained of the day to visit Kyoto, as it would be much harder to find the time to go there once he was back at work. Valerie happily agreed, and they made their way back to the train station in good time. The Nozomi bullet train took just under two hours to make the trip. They would arrive in the afternoon and return home late; Not ideal, but it would be worth it. 

The unspoken rule of silence on public transportation did not apply on such long trips, so the spoke freely about nothing in particular; he was glad to leave his heavy thoughts behind him and just enjoy talking with his wife. Goro had not spent much time in Kyoto, but was familiar with the city and suggested they visit at least one shrine. Valerie went to search for more details on her phone but paused when she received a message.

"Who the fuck - " she began, but stopped short as she read, her eyebrows knitting into a frown. The frown turned into a full on scowl as she finished and sat back on the seat.

"How'd they even get my number?" She muttered angrily. Goro looked from where he had been staring out the window to see what was bothering her. 

"Someone sent you a message?" He asked, surprised. Valerie turned her phone so he could read, her face tight and angry.

"V. Takemura - 

Your presence is required at a meeting in two days time. Transportation has been arranged, you will be retrieved at 10 am sharp. Professional dress is mandatory.

-A. Takeshi"

Goro frowned. A message from someone at Arasaka. He did not recognize the sender but that was not a surprise. Arasaka had access to all the phone networks in the country, and it would be easy for them to locate Valerie's number once it was associated with her name. She put her phone back in her pocket with a quiet swear, looking angry and bitter.

"What is this, an interview? 'Professional dress is required' my ass. I should show up naked just to piss 'em off." She muttered. Goro chuckled perfunctorily at the comment but he did not smile. Valerie huffed out a frustrated breath and turned to him.

"You have any idea what this's about?" She asked lowly. Goro shook his head.

"No, I have received no news. But perhaps it is simply to check in on your health." He suggested, knowing full well that was not the case. Valerie grimaced and crossed her arms.

"Yeah." 

The rest of the trip passed in silence, and they disembarked at Kyoto station in low spirits. The beautiful city did much to cheer Goro up however, and as they strolled the ancient streets Valerie's mood seemed to lighten as well. The gorgeous temples of Southern Higashiyama were timeless, elegant and stood unshadowed by the skyscrapers and megabuildings of Tokyo and other large cities. Such structures were banned in Japan's former capital, in order to preserve the stunning views of the many shrines and gardens. Goro felt as if he could breathe more freely here, an ever present weight lifted from him by the sight of the clear sky above. 

They visited Kinkakuji Temple and marveled at the Golden pavilion, spoke briefly with a Geisha and took many, many pictures. As the sun began to dip low on the horizon Goro and Valerie returned to Kyoto station and took the train home, getting into a discussion on Japanese architecture as the scenery blurred past. 

Tokyo station was just as crowded as it had been the day before and it took some time to weave their way through the mass of people. Goro could feel a headache beginning to build behind his eyes and he cursed his lack of sleep; perhaps he should have had coffee instead of tea that morning. While he didn't care for the taste, the extra caffeine would have been welcome. By the time he and Valerie got back to the apartment it was fully dark, and Goro's good mood had soured somewhat. Valerie sat at the counter in the kitchen while he prepared dinner, her expression dour as she stared at her phone. She set it down with a heavy sigh and propped one elbow on the counter, resting her chin on her curled fingers.

"Whatcha makin'?" She asked. Goro did not turn as he replied, focused on cooking.

"Onigiri with Umeboshi plums - I promised I would make them for you, did I not?" 

"That you did, I'm excited to try one." She said. Goro carefully formed the rice into a perfect triangle and wrapped the nori around the last Onigiri, setting it on the plate to join the rest. He paused, fixing them into a neat line before turning around to set the plate on the counter. Valerie admired them for a moment before saying her thanks and carefully picking the one from the end of the line.

"You're awfully good with your hands y'know; origami, rope work, cookin' - its impressive." She said with a bit of a sly grin. Goro chuckled and selected a rice ball himself. If the headache that had begun on the train wasn't still beating against the back of his eyes like an overly enthusiastic drummer he would have continued the innuendo, but as that was the case, he let it lie. Valerie took a few bites of the Onigiri and then stopped short, pulling a face.

"Oh this is sour!" She exclaimed, sounding surprised. Goro nodded, unable to reply due to a mouth full of rice. She took another bite, more hesitant this time, and chewed thoughtfully. 

"Hm...not what I was expecting." She said after she had swallowed. Goro could not keep a small frown from creasing his forehead; whether or not she liked umeboshi hardly mattered, but he had talked the pickled plums up quite a bit and he did not wish to disappoint.

"It's good though!" She added quickly, seeing the look on his face. He might have thought Valerie had said so simply to ease his feelings if she hadn't immediately eaten two more. 

Eating had soothed the ache in his skull somewhat, but not entirely. Thinking fresh air might fully banish the pain Goro stepped outside onto the little balcony at the back of their apartment. He leaned on the railing, looking out over the sprawling expanse of Tokyo's streets below him. Or what he could make out of them anyway; this neighborhood was full of high-rise apartment buildings, and he had a far clearer view of his neighbors balcony than he did the busy street below. Goro took a deep breath, missing the feeling of freedom he had enjoyed earlier that day, away from the tightly packed buildings and omnipresent holoadvertisments blinking in his peripheral vision. 

The Arasaka logo bloomed to life in the corner of his eye, and Goro turned to look at the scrolling characters.

"What would you do for Immortality?  
Secure your Soul with Arasaka"

The words felt like they were burning into his retinas and he closed his eyes to be rid of them, only to see the red logo stark against his eyelids. Nostrils flaring, Goro turned away, only to see another of the same advertisement a few buildings down. He sighed heavily and looked down instead, gripping the railing tight but hardly noticing the subtle creak of the thin metal as it began to bend. The door onto the balcony opened behind him and Goro eased his death grip on the railing, willing the tension that had seized him to abate.

"Shit, no wonder you always keep the blinds closed." Valerie muttered as she came to lean on the railing next to him, looking from one holoadvertisment to the other with a frown. Her mouth thinned as the characters slowly faded, and she fished around in her pocket for a moment. Again, she seemed surprised that her hand came free empty before she gave a little shake of her head and stared out into the night, her mouth set in a solemn line. Goro let out a long breath, the whorl of emotion raging through him compounded by her expression. What must she feel, seeing such a stark reminder of her unique and precarious position in the world? 

"Are there nomads here, like there are in the states?" Valerie asked suddenly, and Goro was jolted out of his thoughts at the sound of her voice. He blinked, wondering what had prompted the question.

"In Japan? No. But on the vast plains of Mongolia there are many clans; people who still follow the nomadic ways of their ancestors." He replied. Valerie nodded slowly, the glow of the holoadvertisment lighting the edges of her face. 

"You ever been?" 

"No. Arasaka has no presence there, no corporation does." He replied. Militech had made moves to expand into the region, attempting to stretch their reach from China into the untapped market of the nomadic people; but they had been resoundingly rebuffed. 

"Hmm." Valerie made a noncommittal noise and ran her fingers over the railing, expression unreadable in the shifting glow of the advertisments. Goro studied her profile in the unsteady light; her stubborn chin, her high cheekbones, the upward curve of her nose. Sharp features softened by the dancing shadows. Goro reached out and caressed her cheek, tracing where metal had once split her skin. Valerie leaned into the touch, closing her eyes.

"What are you thinking of?" He asked softly. 

"Just, uh, reminiscing." She mumbled. 

"What about?" 

"Rooftop recon…" She began, running her fingertips over the railing, tracing the raised lip as if it held some secret meaning. 

"...you still ever think 'bout runnin' away? Leave all this behind?" She finished, gesturing with curled fingers to the city around them. Her earlier question about nomands suddenly made sense and a bitter half-smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Goro ran his fingers down her arm to catch her hand in his, looking out to the balcony across from them but not really seeing it.

"...as I said then, one cannot teach an old dog new tricks." He said after a long moment, voice low. The holoadvertisments flanking them changed once again, the three - bloom logo of Arasaka painting the shadows red. 

"...how did you say it, the other day…'pipe dreams.'" 

Valerie made no reply, just curled her hand around his and squeezed. Goro looked at their intertwined fingers for a moment, before turning his head to gaze at the giant projection. 

He would have nothing without Arasaka, be nothing. And that would never change.

They stood out there on the balcony for some time, holding each others hand and saying nothing, the silence between them weighed down by a wealth of unspoken thoughts. Eventually it grew too cold to stand out in the night any longer, and so they returned inside, Goro closing the blinds behind them. It was late, he had an early morning ahead of him; his vacation was over. He and Valerie went to bed a few minutes later, finding comfort in each other's arms. Goro had fully expected another sleepless night, but soon found himself drifting off. His last thought before sleep took him was of the red shadows playing over his wife's face.

The moon hung like a milky pearl in the velvet sky, the lights from the city reaching up towards it like the yearning hands of a lover. A few stars were even visible between the shadows of buildings, pale pinpricks of light scattered between skyscrapers; winking coyly as AVs passed in front of them. A beautiful night. One more suited to quiet contemplation or a very late stroll, not skullduggery. Yet here he was, clinging to the outside of the apartment building like a spider about to descend on its prey. Despite his camouflage, he still wished he could have done this under the cover of clouds. But he did not have time to be choosy.

Oda accessed the security protocols with some difficulty. The software was some of Arasaka's best; it was not an easy task. He hung there for several long moments before he was able to release the window lock and crawl inside. His shoes made no sound on the spotless wooden floors as he crept carefully through the apartment. He moved with purpose, focusing and checking for any hidden defenses, disabling those he could and fooling those he could not. After too many minutes spent hacking a hidden turret, Oda finally crossed the threshold of the kitchen, his shadow stretching over the center counter and passing over an origami figure placed there. He approached the bedroom door with caution. It could very well explode if he was not careful. 

He thoroughly checked the doorframe, the handle, the hinges, everything; satisfied that he would not be blown to bits Oda pushed the door open incrementally, holding his breath. Nothing untoward happened so he progressed further into the room, carefully stepping over a discarded item of clothing as he crept closer to the bed. In his infrared sight Oda could see the red-orange outline of a man sleeping on his side, his back towards the door. Oda slowly withdrew a knife from his belt, holding it steady as he moved closer. Keeping his breathing quiet and controlled, Oda raised the blade; knowing if he did not hold it just right he might just lose his head.

The sharp sound of steel on steel sliced through the quiet of the bedroom. Goro had moved even before he was fully awake; finely honed instincts alerting him to danger. The long blade extending from his arm was halted by a knife, the shorter length of steel perfectly angled to block the blow. He glared into the dark, intent on seeing the fear in the eyes of whoever had dared invade his home before he removed their head from their shoulders. The eye that looked back at him was not fearful; the other hidden behind a curtain of hair. There was a split - second of silence that was broken by them speaking at the same time. 

"Oda!?" 

"Sensei, I must speak with you. There is a threat -"

"What the fuck is going on." The lamp on the bedside table clicked to life and light flooded the room, causing both Oda and Goro to squint. Valerie had sat up and her hand was on the lamp, gripping the stately black column as if she was about to throw it. 

Oda's jaw dropped.

"You!?" He stuttered, sounding as if something was strangling him. Goro sat up quickly, pushing his hair from his face.

"What is happening - why are you here?" He asked sharply. Oda rocked back on his heels for a second, as if he had been struck across the face. Goro shoved the blankets away and stood, ready to act even if he was just in his pajamas. 

"Oda, explain, now!" He snapped. His apprentice collected himself and turned on his heel, nodding towards the bedroom door and stomping out of the room. Valerie shot Goro a confused look, which he returned before following Oda. The darkness of the kitchen was split by streaks of moonlight coming in from the window, pale stripes painting the walls and floor. Oda had sheathed his blade and was pacing behind the counter; his arms held tight at his sides, jaw set in a grim line. Goro crossed his arms over his bare chest. 

"What is this threat you spoke of?" He asked sharply. Goro had not been made aware of any danger; he'd given explicit instructions to the security team to contact him if anything was amiss. Oda stopped his pacing and turned to face him, anger clear in his gaze. He took a deep breath and shook his hair from his eyes, the ever present scowl adding years to his young face.

"...I now wonder if I can trust you; I had wanted to believe otherwise, that your judgement had remained clear despite -"

"My judgement remains as clear as ever! If you came just to insult me then I suggest you leave!" Goro barked, his temper spiking for a moment before he got it under control. Whatever had brought Oda here under such secrecy was important, he had to push past his anger. He wanted to make amends with Oda as well, not push him away further. Losing his temper now, when Oda had gone to such lengths to speak to him, would be idiotic. Nostrils flaring, Goro let out a short, sharp breath.

"If it were truly a question of trust would you have come?" He asked lowly. Oda looked away, his jaw working for a moment, chin jutting out as he rocked from foot to foot.

"...no." He finally said in a begrudging tone. Goro closed his eyes for a moment, willing himself to remain calm. The baggage between them was heavy, and he felt the full weight of the years of silence bearing down on him as they stood in the kitchen. He opened his eyes as Oda cleared his throat.

"...I have information that Hanako-sama may be in danger." Oda said quietly and Goro's frown deepened. He turned his head as he thought, putting together the pieces.

"And you believe that this danger comes from within Arasaka?" He guessed; why else would Oda have come like a thief in the night - there must be a plot of some kind. One of the rogue factions within the company? A foolish notion. With the removal of Yorinobu there was little the splinter factions would dare attempt, and making a move against Hanako-sama would bring the full and formidable ire of Arasaka-sama down on their heads. A fate worse than death.

"Yes - but hard evidence has been difficult to come by. There was a trace left on a message, an indication that someone was tapping communications, but..." Oda paused, pursing his lips, obviously thinking how to best explain. Goro waited for him to continue, knowing Oda's perfectionism would not let him speak about work without carefully weighing his words. 

"The trace was - difficult to follow, unusual." He said finally.

"It did not match any known signature, but did originate within Arasaka's network." 

Goro's eyebrows knitted even further; while he was a proficient Netrunner, Oda's skills were superior in that regard. If he had not been able to ferret out more information then things were dire indeed. 

The kitchen light flicked on and they looked to see Valerie standing in the doorway. She had dressed and located one of the guns Goro kept under the bed, holding it ready at her side. Oda tensed instantly, his chin jutting forward again and his shoulders raising.

"Who we shootin'?" She asked. 

"No one yet." Goro replied; he would never regret Valerie's presence, but he did regret the effect it had on Oda. Valerie sighed heavily and rubbed a hand over her eyes, coming forwards to join them at the counter. She set the gun down and placed her hands on the marble, leaning on them as she looked between Goro and Oda.

"...so, what's goin' on? Only heard a little, somethin' up with Hanako?" she asked, her face drawn and serious. Oda's lips curled into a sneer.

"Nothing that concerns you." he said darkly, and Goro felt his own mouth tighten at Oda's tone. Valerie's eyes narrowed and she leaned forward on the counter, looking at Oda intently. Despite her sleep tousled hair and glaring lack of implants the motion was very threatening. 

"See, you kinda made it my concern when you broke into our place - so what's goin' on?" She said. Oda's eyes widened slightly at her use of the word 'our' and then his lip curled even further. He shot Goro a look that bordered on disgusted and Goro felt his temper rise again. There was a long, tense silence where Oda and Valerie glared at each other before she exhaled sharply and leaned back, crossing her arms over her chest. 

"Fine, whatever - not my biz. I'm goin' back to bed." She snatched the gun from the counter and turned on her heel, closing the bedroom door behind her with a resounding 'snap.' Oda and Goro stared at each other for a long moment after she had gone, tension bristling between them like a live wire. Goro's jaw was tight, his fingers digging into his arms. Oda seemed about to say something, his jaw working again as if chewing over the words. Goro tensed further, entierly ready for an argument to begin but Oda just let out a long, controlled sigh through gritted teeth.

"...I will look into this further, can I expect your help?" He finally said. Goro uncrossed his arms and folded his hands together, rubbing his palms. He was glad Oda had held his tongue about Valerie; if he hadn't, their conversation would be ending very differently. 

"Yes. How imminent is this threat?" Goro asked. He would leave right now if necessary. While protecting Hanako-sama was not his principle duty, her safety was still a very high priority. Oda pursed his lips, folding his own hands together in front of him.

"...from what I was able to gather - and that is very little - sooner rather than later. But making a move too early might drive the perpetrators further underground." He said. Goro nodded slowly. This was the tightrope they walked - acting on too little information could be as dangerous as waiting for a clearer picture to unfold. Especially when the threat was internal.

"Very well. Contact me as soon as you know more." He said. Oda inclined his head in agreement and flickered out of sight, the camouflage melding his outline with that of the kitchen wall behind him. Goro watched the vague shape his apprentice had become disappear out the window and into the night. He closed his eyes and let out a very long sigh. It was unfortunate that a threat against the Arasaka family was what broke the years of silence between them, but Goro was thankful that something had. He knew that it would not be that easy, but it meant something that Oda still trusted him enough to seek him out in an hour of need. 

Goro reset all the security around the apartment before returning to bed; it was extremely late, and while the looming threat was present in his mind there was nothing to be done at this exact moment. He needed rest to be fully prepared for what may come, and, if he was honest with himself, he was glad to have something else to worry about. A problem to solve that was tangible, real. Something to force his internal struggle back, and hopefully, away entirely.

The light was off in the bedroom but Goro could see the outline of the gun on the bedside table, easily within Valerie's reach. She was curled on her side, back to the door and didn't move as he slid under the blankets next to her.

"You need better friends." She muttered darkly. Goro pushed his pillow into a more comfortable shape and then wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Oda is not so bad - you have simply not been on his good side, as you would say." 

Valerie snorted and shifted so they were closer together under the blankets.

"Never woulda fuckin' guessed." She grumbled. She yawned and pressed her head further into her pillow.

"'Least we know who'd win in a fight." 

"Mhm." He replied, already feeling sleep pressing down on him. Valerie did not reply at first, and as sleep took him Goro faintly heard her mutter something he did not catch before he drifted off completely.


	13. Chapter 13

Goro brought Oda's findings to Arasaka-sama as soon as he was able. It would have been foolhardy to present such an idea without physical proof, so he had met briefly with Oda to receive what little evidence he had gathered. His apprentice had slid a shard into his hand as they'd passed in a hallway, barely acknowledging each other before continuing on. The little charade was very cloak and dagger, but necessary, as they did not know who inside Arasaka was tapping Hanako-sama's communications. Anyone could be the culprit, and Goro did not wish to force their hand before a proper response was put in motion. 

He turned the shard over in his hand before stepping out of his usual position behind and to the left of his master's high-backed chair.

"Arasaka-sama, something has been brought to my attention." He said, bowing low before placing the shard on the desk. The magnificent office was quiet, and empty of anyone besides his master and himself. The expansive smart glass window - bullet proof and reinforced - behind the chair suddenly darkened as Arasaka-sama pressed a button under his desk, shutting out the daylight streaming in across the floor and any possible eyes looking in. The lights in the ceiling brightened to compensate, shining off Yorinobu's glasses as Arasaka-sama picked the shard up and looked at it.

"What is this, Takemura?" He asked, glancing over at him. 

"A small amount of evidence, Arasaka-sama. There was a trace left on one of Hanako-sama's messages, someone...within the company is tapping her correspondence." Goro said. 

Arasaka-sama's expressions were subtle and difficult to read, especially since he had taken control of Yorinobu's body. But Goro could see a hint of concern in those sharp eyes as they flicked from his face back to the shard. Arasaka-sama slid the shard into the port on the side of Yorinobu's head, nodding slightly as he read over the scant offering. Goro waited patiently for him to finish.

He had examined the evidence thoroughly himself before bringing it before his master; Oda had spoken truly. The trace left on the message did not match any signature he knew of and had been expertly hidden. Whoever had tapped the message knew what they were doing. Arasaka-sama withdrew the shard and handed it back to him, steepling Yorinobu's fingers. 

"This is concerning - what steps have been taken so far?" He asked with a small frown. Goro returned the shard to his pocket and folded his hands in front of him.

"Oda is pursuing the trail with care; it will not take him long to root out the culprit." Goro replied. The message had been sent to Hanako-sama's secretary; confirmation of an appointment, although when and what the appointment was had been left vague. Oda was tracing the line of communication back further to try and find the initial breach. Arasaka-sama's lips pursed and he tapped one manicured nail on his desk, the sound echoing around the empty room.

"Assist him, Takemura. I expect to be kept informed." He said. Goro bowed again and moved back to his usual position, already thinking about how best to push forward with the investigation. He could canvas recent hires, search for breaches in other high-security communications; but it would be best to split the search with Oda to cover the most ground. They would have to proceed with the utmost care. While it was possible Hanako-sama was not being targeted, that the tap was simply a datamine, it was prudent to act as if she was; Hanako-sama's safety was paramount. As Goro began to plan, Arasaka-sama leaned back, resting one elbow on the arm of his chair and raising his finger to his ear. The gesture was one he always made when he was about to use the phone. There was a pause as Arasaka-sama waited for the person on the other end to pick up.

"Hana-chan, come see me." He said. Arasaka-sama dropped his hand from his ear and leaned forward, resting both elbows on his desk and steepling Yorinobu's fingers again. The smart glass window remained shuttered and Goro shifted his weight from foot to foot. He had connected to Arasaka's internal security network and was beginning to look for any indication of a breach, as well as probing for weaknesses. Although Oda had already ascertained that the tap had come from within Arasaka, Goro wanted to make sure that the ICE wall around the servers was indeed intact. 

Every second he spent working made it easier and easier to put his internal dilemma away, the niggling doubts he had been struggling with were pale and pathetic in the light of a real problem. His own feelings did not matter and a profound sense of relief washed over him as he focused intently on searching for flaws in the security; his feelings did not matter - he needed to let them go. Goro felt the crack that had appeared in his sense of purpose and pushed it back, wanting it to go away entirely. 

Everything he was he owed to Arasaka and that would not change. But the wave of relief stopped just shy of sweeping his doubts out the door of his mind, and so he shoved them under the rug instead. He had a duty to perform, had sworn to perform - he focused on the delicate act of probing security without actually tripping any alarms.

The doors of the private elevator on the far side of the room opened and Hanako-sama entered, her white dress and golden implants glinting in the light from the ceiling. Her high heels clicked as she crossed the floor and came to stand at her father's side, bowing to him before clasping her gilded fingers in front of her.

"You wished to see me, father?" She asked, her porcelain features as impassive as ever. Arasaka-sama turned slightly in his chair to face her and nodded.

"You are aware of the breach? I wish only for your safety, my daughter - should we increase security, or, cancel ?" He asked.

Hanako-sama's face pinched ever so slightly and she looked away from her father for a moment. Goro was half listening; still probing security and so he did not catch the beginning of Hanako-sama's reply.

"...would not take kindly to a greater security presence. Cancelling would show weakness." She paused and then shook her head.

"No. I will proceed as planned - this project requires investors if it is to succeed, and I will not disappoint you, father." She said and bowed again. Arasaka-sama's reply was soft and indistinct, and Hanako-sama gave an equally quiet response before she bowed again. Her face was set as she turned gracefully, leaving the way she had come. Arasaka-sama watched her go before turning in his chair and pressing the button to open the window again. The shutters slid back into place and Goro felt the sunlight warm the back of his jacket, stretching his shadow far into the room. Arasaka-sama adjusted Yorinobu's glasses before alerting his secretary that he was ready for his first meeting.

Goro spent the rest of the day probing for the leak, with absolutely no success. Although he did confirm that the tap had been entirely internal, that fact did not help much. While Arasaka-sama held his usual meetings and reviewed reports, Goro reached out to Oda through a secured channel and went over what they had found so far. Which was next to nothing. The tapped line of communication stopped only one message back, the secretary reaching out to confirm the mysterious appointment. The rest must have been handled through an unrecorded holo, which left them at a bit of a dead end for the moment. Oda was convinced that there was an imminent threat to Hanako-samas safety, and after overhearing her and Arasaka-sama's conversation that morning Goro had to agree. Whatever they had been speaking about must be the appointment the tapped message had been referencing; it was too much of a coincidence to be otherwise. 

Before the events in Night City had taken place, Hanako-sama had been mostly kept secluded at the Arasaka estate, but after returning to Tokyo she had become more openly involved in the company, even heading several projects herself. Goro did not know which project she had been referring to when she had spoken to her father that morning, but it was apparently top-secret, as Oda did not know either. 

"There is a meeting scheduled for tomorrow, at a restaurant. Everything is in place and secure." 

Oda's message came through just as Goro was leaving for the day. Arasaka-sama had dismissed him late, and Goro was eager to return home. He had not heard from Valerie all day. While the lack of contact did not surprise him - he had been too busy to text, and she preferred to call - he had missed her. Goro sat in the front seat of his car, keys in the ignition while he typed a response to Oda.

"Understood. I am returning home now."  
"Keep me informed of any updates."  
"Please."

He paused, wanting to add something about how it was good to be speaking with him again. Goro began to type, deleted, typed again and with a heavy sigh erased that as well before just sending a message that said 'thank you.' He waited for a moment but received no reply. Sighing again, Goro put his phone away and started the car. Oda might be willing to work with him, but apparently no more than that. As he drove, Goro thought more on Valerie's suggestion that he try and reach out on a personal level. It was a good idea, but timing would be an issue; finding an evening when they were both free would be difficult, even if Oda agreed. But Goro was convinced that the temptation of karaoke would be too much for Oda to resist. The last time they had gone out had been years and years ago, but Goro knew for a fact that Oda prided himself on his singing and would not miss a chance to show off.  
Probably. 

Absorbed in hypotheticals, Goro made it back to the parking lot under his apartment building in good time. He nodded politely to the other passenger in the elevator before getting off at his floor, walking the short distance across the foyer to his front door with a little spring in his step. He was not coming home to an empty apartment, and while the thought was not new, it made him smile. The smile faded a little as he got closer to the dark wooden door.  
He paused, his hand hovering in front of the lock on the wall. He could hear someone speaking, loudly and excitedly, from inside. He frowned, tilting his head to listen more closely. The words were muffled, unclear; but the noise of a crowd suddenly overtook the single voice and he realised what the sound was. The television must be on, loud enough to be heard in the hallway. An uneasy feeling began to creep up his spine as Goro unlocked the door and stepped inside. 

The first thing that caught his eye was a broken mirror propped against the wall by the door. The glass had shattered from the bottom left, a crack circling the point of impact, thin lines spidering out to reach the opposite corner. He looked at it closely, trying to focus past the noise of the television and spotted a small red-brown fleck on the glass.  
Blood.  
Goro slipped out of his shoes and walked further inside, looking around carefully for any other signs of disturbance. The feeling of unease crawled up the back of his neck. The television blared something about upcoming events in the city, the hostesses voice so loud it rang in his ears.

Other than the broken mirror, nothing in the hall was out of place, no signs of a struggle or anything untoward. His hand slipped behind him of its own accord, fingers curling around the grip of the gun holstered at the back of his belt. Goro connected to his own security network; he had not been notified of any breaches, and as he did a quick scan everything seemed to be in order. No one had broken in, but something was definitely wrong. Hand still on his weapon, Goro moved further into the apartment, coming to a stop as he came to the open space between the living room and the kitchen. 

In the kitchen, every single gun he owned had been taken apart and left in neatly organized rows, completely covering the counter space; a small pile of towels and a container of gun oil sat on the main counter, flanked by empty magazines. Totally bewildered, nearly deafened by the noise of the television Goro stepped forward and picked up the nearest weapon. It was perfectly cleaned and oiled, expertly taken care of. He looked at it, and then around for some sort of explanation but saw nothing.

"Valerie?" He could barely hear himself over the weather announcement and he set the gun back down, finally turning to shut the television off. The sudden silence was somehow even louder. He turned in a circle, looking for any sign of where she might be. A cold breath of air brushed against his face and Goro's eyes settled on the door to the balcony. The blinds were shut, but the door must have been open as a breeze rustled the plastic strips; the gentle rattling unsettling in the quiet.

"Valerie?" 

Goro pushed the blinds open and stepped onto the balcony, halting with one foot still inside. A sudden tightness seized his chest. Valerie was sitting on the ground, her back to him, legs dangling over the edge of the balcony through the spaces between the metal railing. Her shoulders were slumped, and her forehead was resting against the bars. 

Goro was struck with the memories of Silverhand glaring at him from the floor of the shower in Valerie's old apartment, of the cold shadows that had twisted her face into his.

Goro's heart was in his throat as he took a step forward; it could not happen again.  
Silverhand was gone, cut out of her mind before they had downloaded her engram in Mikoshi.  
He was gone.  
Wasn't he?  
Dread coursing through his very soul, Goro reached out and touched Valerie's shoulder. 

"Wha - oh. Hey."

Relief replaced the dread in an instant, flooding his extremities and Goro let out the breath he had been holding in a huge sigh. That relief lasted for only a moment however, as Valerie looked up at him.

"You look...like shit."

"Gee, thanks." She replied, voice hoarse. It was true, she looked awful. Her face was pale, her eyes were puffy and as Goro studied her more carefully he saw a bandage wrapped around the knuckles of her right hand. Somehow, she looked worse even than when she had been leaking brain matter from her nose.

"What...happened?" He asked, his tone equally worried and confused. Valerie gave a little shrug and Goro shifted from foot to foot, wanting to sit down and be at eye level but unable to. The balcony was small, and if he attempted to sit with his legs through the bars he would surely get stuck.

"Come inside, it is cold." He said when she didn't offer any explanation, worry knitting his eyebrows into a frown. Valerie made no move to stand, just reached into her pocket and withdrew a pack of cigarettes.  
The movement was familiar, and the odd motions he had noticed the days before suddenly made sense. Goro watched as she pulled one free and lifted it to her mouth. A lighter clicked and a thin line of smoke curled up from her lips, spiraling towards the glaring holoadvertisments on either side of the balcony. 

"I was...unaware that you smoked." He said slowly, carefully, trying to read her expression on what he could see of her face. 

"...I don't." She said roughly, looking out into the growing darkness.

"But Johnny did." 

Goro stood there, feeling useless and afraid, staring down at her as she puffed away on the cigarette she didn't smoke - but Silverhand did. 

What did that mean?

A cold rush of air blew the smoke away, sending a shiver down his spine and ruffling Valerie's chin length hair. She didn't seem to notice, despite her previous complaints about the cold. 

"Sorry about the mirror...was gonna go get a replacement but didn't uh, get to it." Valerie took another pull on the cigarette, the tip burning down nearly to her fingers. Goro blinked rapidly, feeling like someone had just pulled a rug out from under him at the abrupt change of subject. 

"Seven years bad luck am I right?" She mumbled, glancing down at her bandaged hand with a weak attempt at a smile.

"It is just a mirror," he began, putting two and two together. She must have punched it, shattered the glass with her fist.

"Valerie, what happened? Why bring up Silverhand? Are you well?" Goro continued, knowing the answer to the last question was 'no.' She took another drag on the cigarette, smoke puffing away on the breeze.

"...I saw him, today. In, in the mirror." She said finally, staring ahead of her as if something was lurking in the shadows of the neighbouring balcony. Alarmed, Goro followed her gaze and saw nothing but a chair.

"You...saw him? How is that possible?" He breathed, his eyes searching her face with shock. She did not reply at first, just tapped ash from the end of the cigarette over the balcony, the grey flakes spiraling down to disappear into the night. Goro was about to prompt her further when she spoke.

"Doc's in Mikoshi said it was too far gone; couldn't get it - him, all out…whatever was left must've hopped over to the new engram." she said, voice dull. Goro blanched, his eyes going wide. The specialists in Mikoshi had told him they were successful; had that just been to get him to convince her to sign away her life?

"I mean, he's not actually here," Valerie continued, reaching up and tapping two fingers against her temple, lit cigarette nearly brushing against her hair. 

"Not really, not like he used to be, but...there's definitely somethin' of the bastard still kickin' around…" She said, and Goro could not tell if she was crushed or elated by the statement. 

The uncertainty unnerved him.  
While it was relieving to hear that Silverhand was not truly attached to Valerie's consciousness, the fact that there was any of the man left in her head made him nervous.

Valerie looked at the cigarette between her fingers and then let it drop over the edge of the balcony, the still burning end visible for only a moment before it was swallowed up by the darkness. 

"it's...been a bad day." She said, voice barely above a whisper. She sounded hollowed out, emptied of anything but dull pain. It hurt him deeply to hear her sound so exhausted, so drained. His phone vibrated in his pocket but he barely felt it. Goro reached out and placed both hands on her shoulders, gently. He would not pick her up, would not infantilize her or her pain. But he wanted to hold her, offer some sort of comfort. Valerie leaned back against his legs as soon as he touched her, an aching sigh escaping her lips, her eyes shut tight. 

"Come inside, please." He asked again, maybe even pleaded. Valerie nodded sharply and leaned forward to extricate herself from the railing. 

They returned inside, Goro shutting the door tightly behind them. He turned around, expecting to see Valerie standing behind him but she was already in the kitchen, beginning to pick up the guns laid out on the counters.

"I uh, kinda went overboard, shoulda cleaned this all up earlier, left a damn mess, like some fuckin' kid…" Her mumbled tirade faded in and out as she ducked around, picking up weapons and setting them back down as if she did not know what to do with herself. Goro walked over to her and gently took her hands in his, placing one over top of hers.

"Leave it. It can be dealt with later." He said softly. Valerie looked down and nodded, then clutched their intertwined hands to her chest and leaned into him. Goro disentangle one hand and looped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her tighter against him. He held her close, resting his chin against her head. Valerie took a shuddering breath and he pressed his lips to her hair. 

"Okay...not like we're expecting guests - unless Oda decides to pop in again, fuckin' weirdo." She mumbled against his shirt. Goro snorted, glad that despite her obvious distress her sense of humor was still intact. The mention of Oda reminded him that his phone had gone off earlier. He wiggled his fingers free and reached for his phone, keeping his other arm tight around his wife's shoulders. 

Selecting the messaging app, Goro saw that the notification was indeed from Oda and he opened it with apprehension. He did not want to think about work right now, there were more important things going on. His eyebrows raised and he couldn't help a little smile as he read the short message. 

"You're welcome."

Goro slid the phone back into his pocket and Valerie sighed. 

"Work shit?" She muttered. Goro shook his head, pleased to have heard back from his apprentice but far more focused on his wife. 

"No, but it is not my concern at the moment - what made you realise he is not totally gone, and why did you not reach out?" He asked softly, leaning back slightly to look into her face. He had been busy, but he would have made time. Valerie held his gaze for a moment and then looked away.

"Can we...not talk about that right now, I uh, I just…" 

"Cannot." Goro finished her sentence for her. She nodded and he rubbed her back, frowning slightly but understanding. Prodding at a raw wound would do nothing but inflame it. Disturbed as he was by the news that Silverhand was still around in some capacity, that Valerie would apparently never be free of him, Goro would not press her for more details until she was ready. He did not know what to do. She had shot down his suggestion of calling a doctor with such vehemence that he knew better than to bring it up again, but he had nothing else to offer. 

"What would help?" He asked after a moment.

"Can I be honest?"

"I would prefer that."

"I...just, I need..." Valerie said,

"I need you." She slid her hands up his chest, coming to rest at his collar. Goro reconsidered his earlier thought  
He did have something to offer; himself. Valerie looked up at him and he closed the small gap between them in a kiss, cupping the back of her head with one hand and resting the other at her waist. 

Valerie clutched at his collar, kissing him fiercely, as if her very life depended on it. Goro squeezed her tighter, knitting his fingers into her hair and tilting her head back to deepen the kiss. Valerie pulled on his shirt hard enough he heard a seam pop, her mouth open against his, so needy it left him breathless. Goro let out a quiet groan, hot desire sparking in him as their bodies pressed together. He pushed her shirt up to grip her waist, eager to feel bare skin under his fingers. She undid his collar, yanking on the closure of his shirt until the buttons popped. One pinged against the counter top, bouncing who knew where as Valerie slid her hand down his chest, fingers splayed as if to feel as much of him as possible. She fumbled with his belt, pushing him back against the counter as she did so, pulling on his shirt with her other hand. Goro let go of Valerie's waist to try and find his balance, reaching back for the lip of the counter only to knock something to the floor with a metallic 'clunk.' He glanced over to see what had fallen only to have Valerie tug him back to her lips, kissing him so hard he saw stars.

"Bed?" She panted, already pulling him away from the counter. Goro did not even need to respond, and they somehow made it into their bedroom without losing their grip on each other. Valerie let go just long enough to pull her shirt off over her head, tossing it somewhere while he undid his cufflinks. Pants, socks and under garments were removed with alacrity, scattered about the room like confetti. Valerie grabbed his arm and tugged him flush against her, kissing him while reaching up to yank the elastic out of his hair. It came free, pulling a few strands with it but Goro barely noticed. 

They practically fell onto the bed, limbs tangled together in a passionate embrace, hands roaming over each other's bodies as if to map them. Valerie did not seem to be able to touch enough of him at once, wrapping her legs around his waist and an arm over his shoulder, clutching him so close she nearly squeezed the air from his lungs. Goro shifted so he could sit up, pulling Valerie with him, moving until they were comfortably situated.

She settled onto his lap, a shuddering moan escaping her parted lips as he slid into her. Goro sighed through his nose and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him as he shifted his legs to sink deeper inside her. 

Valerie swore quietly as he began to move, slowly at first, then faster as she rocked her hips, clearly needing more than the gentle pace this position offered. Goro turned at the waist, intending to lay her down on the bed but she pushed on his shoulders, shoving his upper body down against the mattress. Goro made to sit up, to grab her again and roll her over but she pushed him back. 

Valerie reached down and gripped his jaw hard, holding his head against the pillow, her thumb pressing into his chin. She was breathing hard, something wild flaring in her eyes that held him down as surely as her hand did. Goro felt suddenly powerless as Valerie's gaze burned into his; the feeling caught him off guard, but he found that he liked it, liked the way it felt to be pinned under her while she fucked him. 

Goro moaned, feeling his face twist in ecstasy as she rode him, biting his lip and closing his eyes at the nearly overwhelming pleasure. The muscles in his thighs twitched and he let out a half-choked gasp, grabbing for Valerie's hips like a lifeline. 

"Look at me." Valerie growled, her fingers digging into the side of his face. Goro obeyed, opening his eyes to stare into hers, unable to catch his breath as she ground her hips against his; toes curling as he gasped out his pleasure. Her mouth was open, breasts heaving with each panting breath, the fingers not gripping his jaw digging into his shoulder hard enough to sting. 

"Ffuck, Goro," Valerie gasped, face flushed and desperately needy; there was something pained in her eyes that broke the spell he was under.

Goro clutched her hips, thrusting up to meet her, gripping her so tight there were sure to be bruises left from his fingers.  
He was almost certain his heart stopped when he came, groaning out a string of expletives so slurred they were barely worthy of being spoken in his mother tongue. Valerie let out a choking moan as she watched his expression, her whole body shuddering before she leaned back and touched herself; taking only a second before she came undone around him.

Valerie collapsed forward onto his chest, burying her face against his skin. Goro flopped one arm over her, fingers still tingling from the intensity of it all. They lay there gasping, breathing in sync, for several long moments, Goro tracing aimless patterns along Valerie's back. He was dizzy, mind blank and swimming in the aftershocks. It took him too long to realise the hitch in Valerie's breathing sounded more like a sob than a gasp. 

Goro reached down and gently cupped her chin, tilting her head away from his chest so he could see her face. Her eyes were red-rimmed but there were no tears on her cheeks. Concern pushed the fogginess aside and he sat up, resting on his elbow as he brushed Valerie's hair from her eyes.

"What is it?" He asked, voice quiet and worried. Valerie pressed her lips together and squeezed her eyes shut. Goro waited for a moment, letting her collect herself.

"...there's this...fuckin' hole inside me, Goro," she replied, sounding exhausted. 

"...I feel like it's going to swallow me whole." She said in a voice barely above a whisper. Goro brushed his thumb over her cheek, his heart aching at the pain in her voice. 

"I don't even fuckin' recognize myself - am I even real? I don't know...I don't know...I walked to the market today and don't know how I got there; I keep dreamin' about bein' in a fuckin' tube like some kinda lab rat - and today," Her voice cracked and she inhaled sharply, swallowing before continuing, 

"Today was so...bad." 

Goro listened to her carefully, holding her close, his expression growing more and more worried at her every word. Valerie swallowed again, her fingers clutching at his chest.

"I...I don't know if I'm...real." She said, sounding hollow. Goro's heart broke as she said that again, and he placed his hand over hers, curling their fingers together. 

"I can assure you that you are," he began, the words felt insignificant under the weight of her obvious pain, but he said them again anyway, reinforcing them by squeezing her hand tightly. She closed her eyes, sorrow and pain clear on her face.

"Look at me -" Goro said, and she opened her eyes again, he touched her chin, lifting her face to meet his gaze.

"You are real, Valerie, I cannot stress that enough. Silverhand...Silverhand may not be gone, but that does not change who you are."

"Doesn't it?" She said darkly, and Goro shook his head emphatically.

"No." 

"And...the fact that I'm just a downloaded copy in a lab grown body, no chrome, no scars, no...no nothin', doesn't change that either - the fact that I barely recognize my own fuckin' face, my eyes, doesn't change who I am, doesn't make me not...real." Valerie said all at once, almost spat the words out of her mouth, as if they were burning her tongue.

"No." 

She seemed taken aback at his one-word response, shaken out of the beginnings of a downward spiral by the frank honesty in his tone. 

"...easy for you to say." Valerie said after a long pause. Goro squeezed her hand again, running his thumb over the back of her knuckles.

"It is easy for me to say, because it is the truth." He said, in a tone that brokered no argument. Goro could not fix what Valerie was struggling with, but he could serve as an anchor - a support and reminder that she was real, and here, and whole. Valerie stared at him for a long moment, seeming to be wrestling with something internally. He held her gaze, steady and reassuring. While he was worried, afraid of the implications of Valerie's words; the fact that she was struggling to stay connected to reality was frightening, he would not let her face that fear alone.

"Do you believe me?"

"Y'know what's fuckin' crazy? I do, I...actually do..." She trailed off, and Goro felt her curl her thumb under his fingers to brush against her ring.

"....worth it." Valerie said, very quietly.

"What?" 

"I said you're worth it - everything, it's all...worth it." She replied, her head dropping back onto his chest. Goro exhaled softly, blindsided by the depth of affection in her voice. He pressed his lips together, words suddenly out of reach - blocked by the emotions sweeping through him like a tidal wave. Goro swallowed thickly and placed his hand at the back of her head, pressing her cheek to his chest and holding her hand tight.

This was worth it, she was worth it; worth even the doubts that chipped away at the very foundation of his life, his purpose. The doubts that despite his best efforts to bury them, kept sprouting like weeds. 

Valerie shifted in his arms and Goro ran his fingers through her hair. 

Worth it.


End file.
